A four-member team of senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday visited the site of the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others near Baramati in Pune district last month. The visit is part of the ongoing multi-agency investigation into the January 28 crash.

During the inspection, the DGCA team examined CCTV footage and other video material linked to the incident, local officials said. The Learjet aircraft had crashed near the Baramati airport, resulting in the deaths of Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali. The tragedy sent shockwaves across the state and prompted immediate scrutiny of aviation safety protocols.

In a statement issued after the crash, the Ministry of Civil Aviation noted that Baramati functions as an “uncontrolled airfield”, meaning it does not have a dedicated Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. Instead, traffic information is provided by instructors or pilots associated with local flying training organisations. The operational framework of the airfield has since come under focus as investigators work to establish the sequence of events.

Also Read: Mamata Condoles Ajit Pawar Death, Urges Probe Into Baramati Plane Crash

Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier stated that the probe would be conducted in a time-bound manner. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the DGCA had initially visited the crash site, and the aircraft’s Black Box was recovered to aid the technical investigation. Data from the flight recorder is expected to play a key role in determining the cause of the accident.

Separately, the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has launched its own inquiry. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, nephew of the late leader, has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the crash and alleged the possibility of sabotage, calling for a comprehensive probe by multiple expert agencies. Authorities, however, have not confirmed any such angle, and investigations remain ongoing.

Also Read: VSR Ventures Faces Questions: Second Learjet 45 Hull Loss in Under 3 Years