E-Paper
Ajit Pawar crash: Black box recovered, inquiry intensifies
DGCA and AAIB have steps up probe into the aircraft crash near Baramati airport that claimed the lives of Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others
Pune: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have stepped up their investigation into the aircraft crash near Baramati airport that claimed the lives of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others. Officials confirmed on Thursday that the black box of the aircraft has been recovered, a key development expected to help investigators reconstruct the final moments of the flight.
Investigators have collected samples and physical evidence from the crash site, while the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) said all emergency response and investigative protocols were activated immediately after the accident. The ministry reiterated that the probe initiated under Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, will be thorough, transparent and time-bound.
As part of the inquiry, a team of three officers from the AAIB headquarters in Delhi and another team of three officers from the DGCA’s Mumbai regional office reached the crash site on Wednesday evening. GVG Yugandhar, director general, AAIB, also visited the location the same day to personally oversee the investigation.
Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and Avialaz Consultants CEO, said preliminary information suggests visibility played a role in the incident.
He addressed concerns over infrastructure at smaller airports. “Not all airports in India are equipped with instrument landing systems. At the very least, facilities like RNAV, used for area navigation, should be available. Baramati airport has a 1,770-metre runway and houses two flying academies, one of which has been operating for nearly three decades. I would not term the airport risky. In this case, the pilots were well qualified,” he said.
