A chartered Learjet 45XR aircraft crashed during landing in Baramati on the morning of 28 January 2026. Five people, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, lost their lives in this accident. It was a VIP flight and had two pilots, one cabin crew and two passengers. The plane was attempting to land at Baramati airfield at around 8:46 am.
Initial investigation revealed how the plane crashed?
Investigation revealed that Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield where flying is allowed only under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and for this a minimum visibility of 5 kilometers is required, but at that time the visibility from the tower was reported to be about 3 kilometers, that is, the weather was below the standards. There was also light fog and mist like situation in the area. In the first attempt, the pilot tried to land on Runway 11, but later did a go-around and circled again. For the second time also the aircraft took approach to Runway 11. The tower gave permission for landing saying ‘winds calm’.
The pilot reported seeing the runway, but a few seconds later a panicked sound was heard from the cockpit. Soon after this the plane hit the ground about 50 meters left of the runway. Before the collision, the plane hit trees and then fell on the sloping ground below. After the accident, a massive fire broke out in the plane. The entire cockpit and cabin were destroyed by fire. All five people on board the plane died in this accident.
Preliminary investigation by AAIB has revealed that there was no modern navigation facility at the airfield, there was no permanent weather system and the runway markings were also very faded. Visibility was also below VFR standards. Data from the flight data recorder has been extracted and the cockpit voice recorder is being analyzed. The exact cause of the accident will become clear only after the final report comes, but initial indications suggest that low visibility and limited airfield facilities could be important factors in this accident.
Investigating agency recommended to DGCA
1. VFR rules should be strictly followed at uncontrolled airfields.
2. Meteorological facilities (MET) and landing aids should be improved.
3. Such airfields should be brought under regulated licensing.
4. There should be regular audit of runway and safety standards.
