Tragic Learjet Crash Claims Life of Maharashtra's Ajit Pawar; Black Box Recovered

Post by : Mina Rahman

The investigation into the Learjet crash that occurred on Wednesday, resulting in the death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with four others, has begun with the recovery of the aircraft's black box. This essential device contains the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder and will be pivotal in determining the cause of the tragic incident.

The Learjet 45, operated by VSR Ventures out of Delhi, tragically crashed while attempting its second landing at Baramati Airport at approximately 8:45 am. Among those on board were Ajit Pawar, aged 66, his personal security officer, an attendant, and two pilots, including Sumit Kapur and co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak, all of whom perished in the mishap.

Ajit Pawar departed from Mumbai around 8 am for a series of election campaigns in Baramati ahead of local body elections. A specialized team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has since arrived to conduct a detailed forensic investigation into the crash.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that the cockpit's final communication included a distressing phrase, indicating a moment of crisis. The ground control at Baramati Airport, overseen by pilot cadets from local aviation schools Redbird Aviation and Carver Aviation, maintained communication during the aircraft’s landing attempts.

Details leading to the incident have been provided by the Civil Aviation Ministry: At 8:18 am, the plane, registered as VT-SSK, communicated with Baramati airport control. The experienced pilot, with over 15,000 flight hours and his co-pilot, who had approximately 1,500 hours, received weather briefings indicating visibility of about 3,000 meters and were cleared to make their own landing decisions.

As the jet approached Runway 11, the pilots reported visibility issues with the runway and were advised to perform a go-around, a standard safety procedure. After circling, they confirmed visual contact with the runway and received landing clearance at 8:43 am. Alarmingly, the aircraft did not acknowledge the mandatory landing clearance readback.

At 8:44 am, air traffic control observed flames near the runway, marking the tragic moment of the crash.

Ongoing investigations seek to unravel the exact circumstances surrounding this devastating accident, which has left a profound impact on both the state and the nation.