'Table-top runway,' visibility near zero, and a MAYDAY call: Inside the crash sequence that killed Ajit Pawar

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 and four others died in a Learjet crash near Baramati airstrip
• Dense fog and lack of ILS complicated landing; investigation is ongoing
• Maharashtra declared three-day mourning; leaders expressed deep shock

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Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when a private Learjet 45 aircraft crashed near the edge of the Baramati airstrip on Wednesday morning, officials said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft was attempting a visual landing in dense fog when it lost balance at low altitude and hit the ground before the runway.

Crash sequence points to aborted approach and difficult conditions

Initial findings from DGCA sources cited by CNN-News18 indicate visibility over the Pune–Baramati area was extremely low at the time of the incident, complicating the approach to the Baramati airstrip, which lacks an Instrument Landing System (ILS). Without ILS, pilots must rely on manual and visual techniques to align with the runway.

The aircraft did not approach the runway directly on its first attempt, instead making a large turn, a pattern consistent with an aborted landing. On the second attempt, the pilot issued a MAYDAY distress call. DGCA sources described the Baramati runway as a table-top layout, a configuration that can heighten landing risk in poor visibility.

At roughly 100 feet altitude during the second approach, the aircraft appears to have lost balance. It struck the ground short of the runway, triggering a major explosion upon impact, followed by several smaller blasts, and a severe fire that hampered immediate rescue operations. Investigation into the precise cause remains underway; DGCA has not issued a final determination.

Victims and flight details

Pawar was on board the Learjet 45 registered VT-SSK, accompanied by two pilots, commander Sumit Kapoor and first officer Shambhavi Pathak, along with his Mumbai personal security officer, HC Vidhit Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali. All five occupants died in the crash, DGCA confirmed.

Pawar, a six-term deputy chief minister and senior leader in Maharashtra politics, was returning to his hometown to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections scheduled for February 5.

Political response and state reaction

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state was in deep shock over Pawar’s death. “Such leadership takes many years to develop,” Fadnavis told reporters, describing Pawar as a strong and generous friend whose loss would be felt across the state. He announced three days of state mourning and declared a holiday for the day.

Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said the crash would be thoroughly probed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow, highlighting Pawar’s grassroots connection and administrative experience, and offered condolences to his family and supporters.

Next steps in investigation

DGCA officials are gathering flight data, weather records and witness accounts as part of the ongoing investigation. The absence of ILS at the Baramati airstrip and challenging fog conditions are among the key focal points for understanding why the aircraft failed to align with the runway and lost balance before touchdown.

Authorities have not released the flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder findings. A formal preliminary report is expected once initial analysis is complete.