On a winter morning that was meant to be a short VIP hop from Mumbai to Baramati, a routine landing turned into a tragedy that stunned Maharashtra. What went wrong in those final minutes? The preliminary findings from the aviation watchdog now offer the first official clues.

Pune/Baramati: The preliminary investigation into the fatal Learjet crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has brought low visibility and serious airport infrastructure gaps into sharp focus.

The report, released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), lays out the factual sequence of events from January 28, 2026. Officials have clearly stated this is not the final report, and no firm conclusions on the exact cause should be drawn yet.

The Crash: What Happened That Morning

The aircraft involved was a Learjet 45XR (VT-SSK) operated by VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. It was flying from Mumbai to Baramati on a non-scheduled VIP charter flight.

There were five people on board:

Two pilots
One cabin attendant
Two passengers, including Ajit Pawar

At approximately 8:46 am IST, while attempting to land at Baramati Airport, the aircraft crashed about 50 metres to the left of Runway 11 near the threshold.

According to the report:

The jet first struck trees
It then impacted ground at a lower level than the runway surface
The aircraft caught fire
It was completely destroyed

All five on board died.

Visibility Below Minimum Limits

One of the most important findings relates to weather conditions at the time of landing.

Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield and does not have a full-fledged meteorological setup.

On the morning of the crash:

The tower reported visibility of 3 kilometres
However, Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations require a minimum visibility of 5 kilometres

Nearby controlled airports at Pune and Mumbai were also reporting low visibility due to mist, haze and smoke. Satellite imagery suggested shallow fog patches around Baramati.

Despite being informed of 3 km visibility, the aircraft continued its approach.

Two Landing Attempts Before the Crash

Communication records reveal that the aircraft made two attempts to land.

First Approach

The aircraft initially lined up for landing
The pilots requested a change of runway
They later reverted to Runway 11
Visibility was again confirmed as 3 km
The aircraft executed a go-around and climbed back

Second Approach

The aircraft once again aligned with Runway 11
The pilots reported “field in sight”
The tower cleared them to land
Moments later, a distress exclamation was heard from the cockpit

The aircraft then crashed to the left side of the runway.

Airport Infrastructure Under Scrutiny

The investigation team found several safety shortcomings at Baramati Airport, which is managed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited.

Key observations include:

No full-fledged meteorological facility
No navigational aids other than windsocks
Windsocks installed only at one end of the runway
Faded runway markings
Presence of loose gravel on the runway surface
No in-house Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit
No proper boundary wall around the aerodrome

**Faded Runway Markings at Runway-11 end | Image: AAIB**

The runway was last resurfaced in 2016.

Although primarily used for flying training operations, the airport regularly handles non-scheduled charter and VIP flights.

Importantly, the report notes that visibility at the time was below the prescribed minimum for VFR operations.

Experienced Crew, Valid Aircraft

The aircraft and crew credentials were found to be in order.

The 61-year-old Captain had nearly 19,000 flying hours, including over 2,800 hours on this aircraft type.
The 25-year-old First Officer had close to 2,500 flying hours.
Both had experience flying to Baramati and operating VIP flights.

Pre-flight breath analyser tests were negative.

The aircraft had:

Valid registration
Valid airworthiness certification
No reported technical issues in its previous flight two days earlier

Both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been recovered.

FDR data has been successfully downloaded and is under analysis
The CVR, which suffered thermal damage, will be examined with assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board

AAIB Issues Interim Safety Recommendations

Even before the final findings, the AAIB has issued interim safety recommendations.

These include:

Strict enforcement of VFR visibility limits at uncontrolled airfields
Allowing operations only when weather conditions meet DGCA norms
Improving safety standards at uncontrolled airports
Enhancing landing aids and basic weather facilities
Examining whether such aerodromes should be formally licensed for regulated operations

The bureau has emphasised that the purpose of the investigation is accident prevention, not assigning blame.

What Happens Next

The final cause of the crash will only be determined after:

Detailed analysis of flight recorder data
Examination of cockpit voice recordings
Further wreckage study
Scrutiny of operational and maintenance records

For now, the preliminary findings highlight a serious combination of low visibility and limited airport infrastructure at an uncontrolled airfield handling a high-profile VIP flight.

The final report will provide clearer answers. Until then, the questions surrounding this tragic crash remain open.

What Caused Ajit Pawar’s Plane Crash? AAIB Releases Preliminary Investigation Report