The tragedy involving the Learjet 45 XR in the Baramati crash that killed Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday morning has drawn particular attention, as it marks the second serious incident involving a Bombardier Learjet operated by the same charter company, VSR Aviation.
In 2023, another Learjet 45 XR from the operator’s fleet was involved in an accident during landing at Mumbai airport. That aircraft had skidded off the runway and suffered severe structural damage, with its fuselage splitting, though all occupants in that earlier incident survived. While the two aircraft had different registrations, both belonged to the same model family and were operated by the same firm, according to reports.
Aviation experts say the recurrence of accidents involving similar aircraft from the same operator will inevitably lead to close scrutiny of maintenance practices, pilot training, operational procedures and regulatory oversight. However, investigators have cautioned against drawing conclusions until the current probe is completed and all technical data is examined.
The chartered business jet in which Pawar was travelling crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district, triggering a wave of shock and mourning across the state and the country. All five people on board the aircraft, including Pawar, two members of his security team and the two-member flight crew, died in the accident.
The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai and was flying to Baramati, Pawar’s home turf, where he was scheduled to attend a series of political and public engagements. Officials said the jet encountered difficulties during its approach and made an emergency landing attempt. Moments later, it veered off the runway, struck the ground and burst into flames. Rescue teams rushed to the site, but the intensity of the fire left no chance of survival.
Eyewitnesses near the airport reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the crash site as emergency vehicles converged on the area. Airport operations were suspended immediately after the incident, and the surrounding zone was cordoned off to facilitate rescue and investigation work. Initial assessments suggest that the aircraft suffered a sudden loss of control during the final phase of landing, though the exact cause will only be known after a detailed probe.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered a full investigation, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is expected to take charge of the technical inquiry. Flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders are being recovered and will be analysed to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the crash. Authorities have said that weather conditions in Baramati at the time were reported to be generally clear, adding to the mystery surrounding the accident.
As the investigation proceeds have begun, authorities have emphasised that their focus remains on determining what went wrong in the final moments of the flight and whether any mechanical failure, human error or operational lapse contributed to the disaster. For now, the crash has left Maharashtra grappling with the sudden loss of one of its most influential leaders and raised fresh questions about the safety of chartered VIP air travel.
