The Civil Aviation Ministry said on Thursday that the AAIB would issue a preliminary report on the investigation into the Learjet 45 crash near Baramati last month, stressing that all investigative actions are being conducted with full transparency and professional integrity.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in the accident on January 28.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said specialist support had been sought to retrieve data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of a Learjet 45 aircraft owned by VSR Ventures.
Amid concerns raised in certain quarters about the operator, the crash and the ongoing investigation, the department said “the AAIB’s investigation is technical and evidence-based and includes systematic examination of the wreckage, operational and maintenance records and laboratory tests of components where necessary”.
A preliminary report will be issued within 30 days of the event in accordance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards and a final report will follow in due course, the company said in a statement. Also read | Ajit Pawar death: Seconds before ill-fated plane crashes, pilots heard saying ‘oh s**t’
The crashed aircraft had two recorders, a digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and a cockpit voice recorder (CVR), both of which were exposed to intense heat for extended periods of time during the accident and suffered fire damage.
Data from the DFDR, manufactured by L3-Communications, was successfully downloaded at the AAIB’s Flight Recorder Laboratory.
“The cockpit voice recorder (CVR), manufactured by Honeywell, is undergoing a detailed technical examination. We have requested the assistance of an accredited representative of the country of manufacture with specialist data acquisition support,” the AAIB said in a February 17 statement.
Following the accident, the ministry asked the DGCA to conduct a special audit of VSR Ventures, which would be a comprehensive review of regulatory compliance, operational control systems, maintenance procedures, crew training standards, safety management systems and CVR/FDR monitoring.
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“The audit was initiated on February 4, 2026 and is expected to be completed soon. The findings will be reviewed and action will be taken in accordance with DGCA’s Enforcement Policy and Procedures Manual,” the ministry said on Thursday.
In addition, the regulator has been asked by the ministry to conduct special audits of other major non-scheduled operators and airports involved in VIP/VVIP operations.
These audits are being conducted in phases and appropriate enforcement action will be taken if necessary, the ministry said.
Elaborating on the regulatory oversight measures, the ministry said that in 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted 51 regulatory audits of non-scheduled operators.
“In addition, multiple follow-ups were conducted on VSR Ventures in areas such as flight safety systems, flight duty time limitations, maintenance compliance (CAR M and CAR 145), station documentation and facilities. All follow-up findings were resolved and closed,” he added.
According to the statement, the ministry and its regulators remain fully committed to transparency, safety oversight and accountability.
“Stakeholders are requested to refrain from speculation and allow the lawful investigative and regulatory processes to proceed in accordance with established procedures,” the ministry said, reiterating that all investigative and regulatory actions are being conducted with complete transparency and professional integrity.
Meanwhile, Jay Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s younger son, has demanded a thorough investigation into the “possible serious errors” behind the plane crash that claimed his father’s life, stressing that the plane’s black box cannot be destroyed easily.