Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on Wednesday, was flying onboard an civil aircraft that has had a patchy track record.
The Maharashtra Deputy CM was onboard a Learjet 45 aircraft manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. According to reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and local officials, the details of the incident are as follows:
- Aircraft Model: Learjet 45
- Registration Number: VT-SSK
- Operator: VSR Ventures (chartered from Mumbai)
- Location: Baramati Airport, Pune district, Maharashtra
- Time of Crash: Approximately 8:45 am
All five people on board were killed, including Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, the pilot-in-command, and the first officer.
The 2023 Incident
The same aircraft operated by the same company was involved in a similar accident, but all onboard had survived the mishap.
On 14 September 2023, a VSR Learjet 45 (VT-DBL) was on a non-scheduled passenger flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai with six passengers and two crew members on board.
During landing at Mumbai Airport in heavy rain and reduced visibility, the aircraft drifted right of the runway. After autopilot disconnection, stall warnings and EGPWS alerts were generated. The plane crash-landed at the intersection of Taxiways W and N, breaking into two pieces and skidding.
All occupants were evacuated and hospitalised. The co-pilot sustained serious injuries, while others received precautionary treatment.
The fuselage fractured into two segments, the wing separated, and the landing gear broke, though the engines remained attached.
{{/usCountry}}The fuselage fractured into two segments, the wing separated, and the landing gear broke, though the engines remained attached.
{{/usCountry}}Pawar's plane too was a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures, but of course with a different aircraft registration number. Witnesses reported the aircraft appeared unstable before veering off the runway and exploding.