Ajit Pawar plane crash: Aircraft was 100% safe and crew experienced, says VSR Aviation top official

Dense fog forced visual landing at Baramati; aircraft lost balance near runway edge and crashed, killing Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others.

• Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash at Baramati airport; all five onboard perished
• Poor visibility cited as possible cause; DGCA to investigate the crash
• Leaders and family rushed to Baramati; area sealed for investigation.

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday when the aircraft he was travelling in crashed at Baramati airport. The chartered Learjet 45, operated by VSR Aviation, was carrying Pawar along with two staff members, a personal security officer, and two crew members.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all five people on board, including pilots Sumit Kapoor and Sambhavi Pathak, lost their lives in the crash. Pawar was on his way to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.

VSR Aviation’s top official, VK Singh, told Aaj Tak, “The aircraft was 100 per cent safe, and the crew was experienced.” Singh added that the crash could have been influenced by poor visibility, and the DGCA will investigate the matter.

Emergency landing attempt and possible causes

According to airport authorities, the aircraft attempted to land before veering off the side of the runway and crashing. A source told PTI that the pilot had reported poor visibility near the runway before attempting the landing.

Aircraft background: Learjet 45

The jet involved was a Learjet 45, a mid-size business aircraft produced by Bombardier Aerospace. Developed in the late 1990s, the model was designed as a competitor in the “super-light” business jet category, rivaling the Cessna Citation Excel/XLS. The latter 45XR variant offered improved range and performance, with a maximum distance of 1,971 nautical miles (3,650 km) at Mach 0.81.

VSR Aviation, which operated the aircraft, was founded by VK Singh and provides private jet charter services. Its registered office is in New Delhi at L-1/B, L Block, Mahipalpur. According to the company’s website, it provides “affordable forms of air travel, tailored to meet the needs of corporate travelers and other people who need to travel to remote locations not serviced by commercial aviation.”

Family and officials respond

Following the crash, senior party leaders and family members were reported to be heading to Baramati. Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, a member of the Rajya Sabha, and two sons, Parth and Jay.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly contacted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to inquire about the incident. Authorities have cordoned off the area, and investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.