India’s Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the Learjet 45 crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning that killed all five people on board, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the civil aviation ministry said. The aircraft, operated by non-scheduled carrier VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed while landing at an uncontrolled airport.
The director general of the office is arriving at the scene of the accident, the ministry said, adding that further details will be released as the investigation progresses. Investigators are expected to look into operational, weather, human factors and technical aspects as part of the probe to determine the cause of the accident.
The ministry has released available details of the aircraft and crew. It said the Learjet 45, registered VT-SSK, was operating a Mumbai-Baramati flight on January 28 when it met with an accident while landing at an uncontrolled airport.
Read also | Navi Mumbai Airport plans to start international operations by June, says CEO
Flight sequence
According to preliminary information released by the ministry, the aircraft first made contact with Baramati at 8:18 am. The crew was advised to descend under “visual meteorological conditions at the discretion of the pilot”; meaning the pilot had to take the call depending on runway visibility. When asked about the weather, the crew was informed that the wind was calm and the visibility was around 3000 meters. During the first approach to runway 11, the crew reported that the runway was not in sight and initiated a go-around.
After the go-around, the aircraft again reported that it was on final approach to runway 11. When asked to report the runway in sight, the crew initially said it was not visible and would call back. A moment later they reported that the runway was in sight. The plane was cleared to land at 8:43 a.m. but there was no response from the airline. At 8:44 a.m. personnel at the airport saw flames near the runway threshold. Emergency services were immediately dispatched. Debris was found on the left side of the runway.
Baramati is an unmanned airport where traffic information is provided by instructors or pilots from local flight training organizations.
Read also | Fleet constraints slow expansion of Air India Express Navi Mumbai
Aircraft profile
According to the ministry, VSR Ventures is a non-scheduled operator and its air operator’s license was originally issued in April 2014 and last renewed in April 2023. The license is valid until April 2028. The company operates a fleet of 17 aircraft, including seven Learjet 45 aircraft, five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B12200 aircraft. The plane involved in the accident, a Learjet, was manufactured in 2010. Its certificate of airworthiness review was issued on September 10, 2025, and was valid until September 14, 2026. The plane had about 4,916 flight hours, the first probe showed.
The aircraft’s engines were Honeywell TFE731-20BR turbofans. The left engine has accumulated about 4,916 hours, while the right engine has accumulated about 4,527 hours.
Read also | How much will December flight disruptions hurt IndiGo’s Q3 earnings?
The commander held a commercial pilot’s license with over 15,000 hours of flight experience. His last medical was carried out in November 2025 and was valid until May 2026. The co-pilot had a commercial pilot’s license with around 1,500 hours of flying experience, the ministry’s probe revealed.
According to a statement by the civil aviation regulator, the The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last conducted a regulatory audit of the operator in February 2025, with “no Level I findings issued”. For context, a Level I finding represents critical, immediate safety hazards requiring immediate corrective action to prevent potential accidents. These indicate serious non-compliance, such as unapproved procedures, insufficient training or major maintenance lapses, and can lead to immediate grounding of the aircraft or heavy penalties.
In September 2023, another Learjet 45 aircraft operated by the company was involved in an accident while landing at Mumbai Airport. The incident, in which there were no fatalities, remains under investigation by the coroner’s office.
