Exact Moment of Tragedy: Terrifying Final Seconds As Ajit Pawar’s Learjet Nosedives And Bursts Into Flames Near Baramati Runway

New Delhi: Chilling CCTV footage has surfaced showing the exact moment Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's chartered Learjet 45 crashed near Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning.  The video, timestamped 8:46 am, captures the aircraft in a steep, sharp nosedive during its final approach before it hits the ground and erupts into a fireball.

The footage confirms the jet crashed nearby the runway, and upon impact, a massive fire engulfed the wreckage, with thick black smoke and flames billowing into the sky visible from a distance and causing immediate panic nearby. Officials confirmed all five people on board were killed.

Watch the footage here: 

40 Min Flight, Same-Day Return

A chartered aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting to land at Baramati Airport in the Pune district early Wednesday morning.  The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai around 8:10 am and was scheduled to land at Baramati at 8:50 am. However, it crashed approximately 45 minutes after take-off during its final approach to the runway.

Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a Zilla Parishad event. He was scheduled to return to Mumbai later the same day after the meeting. The sudden crash has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra’s political landscape.

What was planned as a brief 40-minute same-day journey turned fatal for Ajit Pawar near Baramati on a day of heightened political activity, with several leaders engaged in public events across the country.

Who was on board?

The aircraft was carrying five people, including Ajit Pawar. Among those on board were his personal security officer, Avish Jadhav; flight assistant, Pinki Mali; and two crew members.

The flight was operated by Captain Sumit Kapoor, the Pilot-in-Command, and First Officer Sambhavi Pathak.

The Learjet 45, operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, bore the registration number VT-SSK and weighed approximately 9,752 kg. VSR Ventures, founded in 2011, is an aircraft leasing company.

First Officer Sambhavi Pathak had been associated with VSR Ventures since 2022. She studied at the University of Mumbai and underwent pilot training at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy between 2018 and 2019.

Captain Sumit Kapoor was the pilot-in-command for the ill-fated flight.

What may have caused the crash? 

The Maharashtra Police has stated that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the plane crash to determine its exact cause, as investigators will carry out a meticulous examination of the wreckage, including taking detailed photographs, to determine the aircraft’s speed, trajectory, and angle of impact.

The aircraft’s black box will be analysed to assess the aircraft's technical condition and airworthiness at the time of the flight. Officials will also review all pre-flight maintenance records.

Additionally, the cockpit voice recorder will be examined to understand the pilots’ final conversations, decisions, and responses during the landing attempt. 

Officials have also revealed that the chartered Learjet 45 carrying Ajit Pawar communicated with Air Traffic Control (ATC) regarding low visibility at Baramati airport just before the crash. 

All communications, along with weather data, runway conditions, and wind direction, will now be reviewed as part of the investigation.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has sought a detailed report on the crash and has directed the DGCA to submit its findings at the earliest. 

According to the preliminary investigation, dense fog conditions were reported in and around Baramati at the time of the landing attempt, and visibility was reportedly severely reduced, affecting the pilot’s ability to maintain the aircraft’s intended course.

Further, sources indicated that the aircraft was unable to align itself properly with the runway and kept drifting to the right during the landing approach. In an attempt to correct its course, the plane reportedly steered right but crashed at the edge of the airport.

Preliminary assessments also suggest that the aircraft may have overrun the runway while attempting to land.  

However, the exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained and will only be confirmed after a detailed technical investigation. 

About Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.