What Caused Ajit Pawar's Fatal Learjet Crash Near Baramati Airport?
Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when a Learjet 45 crashed near Baramati during an emergency landing attempt.
Preliminary reports suggest that adverse weather conditions, particularly dense fog in Pune district and the Baramati region, may have contributed to the tragic Learjet 45 crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday morning.
Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft, operated by VSR Aviation, lost its course while flying through hilly terrain, ultimately crashing into a rocky outcrop near Baramati airport around 9 AM, roughly an hour after departing from Mumbai.
All five people onboard — Ajit Pawar, two personnel, a pilot, and Pawar’s security officer — perished in the crash. Visuals from the scene showed mangled wreckage, smoke, and fire, prompting immediate intervention by emergency services and local authorities.
Senior DGCA officials stated that investigators would examine the distribution of the wreckage to determine the aircraft’s direction, speed, and point of impact. The black box and cockpit voice recorder will be retrieved to reconstruct the final moments of the flight, while pre-flight maintenance records will also be scrutinized.
Investigators are reviewing multiple factors, including weather conditions, hilly terrain, runway positioning, and wind patterns, to ascertain whether technical faults, pilot error, or poor visibility played a decisive role. Aviation experts note that a similar Learjet 45 model had crashed in Mumbai in 2023, raising questions about possible mechanical or technical vulnerabilities.
The 66-year-old politician was traveling to Baramati to attend public meetings ahead of local body elections. Pawar was Maharashtra’s longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister, having served under four chief ministers and as a seven-time MLA from Baramati. He had also briefly served in the Lok Sabha, vacating his seat for his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar.
Authorities have not ruled out any possibility, including technical failure, pilot error, or sabotage, as suggested by Maharashtra Congress leader Dr. Nitin Raut, who called for a thorough investigation.
Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. The DGCA and other investigative bodies are expected to release a detailed report once the inquiry into the crash is complete.
