Learjet 45 aircraft model under scrutiny after fatal crash involving Ajit Pawar

The fatal crash of a Learjet 45 carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has raised questions about the aircraft's safety.

The fatal crash of a Learjet 45 aircraft that killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others has intensified scrutiny of the mid-size business jet model, even as authorities stressed that no immediate safety red flags have been identified.

Ajit Pawar, NCP chief and Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, died in a tragic plane crash while he was flying from Mumbai to Baramati.

The plane crashed in Baramati on Wednesday morning, killing Ajit Pawar, two Delhi-based pilots, a flight attendant and a police head constable serving as his personal security officer (PSO).

The plane was flown by Sumit Kapur (62) from Delhi’s Rajouri Garden and co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak (25) from Safdarjung Enclave .

Learjet 45: Safety record and regulatory history under scrutiny

The crash at Baramati has renewed attention on the Bombardier Learjet 45, widely used for short-haul charter operations. Manufactured by the Learjet division of Bombardier, the aircraft is powered by two Honeywell TFE731-20AR turbofan engines and typically seats up to eight passengers.

It has a cruising speed of about 460 knots, a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, and requires a take-off distance of roughly 4,550 feet, making it suitable for smaller airstrips commonly used by business aviation.

Aviation analysts noted that while the Learjet brand’s earliest models had a chequered safety record in the 1960s, much of that history reflected the broader challenges of early jet aviation, including pilot adaptation to high-speed aircraft. By the time Bombardier introduced the Learjet 45 in the 1990s, certification standards were far more stringent, and the model incorporated decades of lessons from business jet operations. Industry assessments from 2017 indicated that modern Learjet 45 fleets typically achieve dispatch reliability rates of 95 to 97 per cent, with safety outcomes closely tied to maintenance quality and crew training rather than design limitations.

Data from the Aviation Safety Network listed nine recorded incidents involving the Learjet 45, including three fatal accidents where completed investigations pointed primarily to pilot training gaps or operational errors. Past crashes in Europe and North America have highlighted issues such as bird strikes, wake turbulence and take-off performance, while a non-fatal runway excursion in Mumbai in 2023 involved a Learjet 45XR operated by the same charter company as the Baramati aircraft.

The model has also been subject to regulatory interventions over the years. These include a 2003 grounding by the US Federal Aviation Administration over a stabiliser defect and subsequent safety advisories related to thrust reversers and landing gear components. Maintenance practices are now a key focus, particularly for older aircraft in the resale market. Indian rules require charter operators to maintain aircraft through DGCA-approved facilities, and investigators are expected to examine how the 16-year-old Baramati jet was maintained as part of the ongoing probe.

The Learjet has had a patchy safety record.

Meanwhile, civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a comprehensive probe into the accident and urged restraint against speculation until verified findings emerge, news agency PTI reported. He added that regulators have not flagged any safety concerns related to the aircraft’s operator, Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.

According to officials, teams from the AAIB and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reached the crash site on Wednesday to begin a forensic examination of the wreckage and flight data. The Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, was attempting a second landing after executing a go-around when it crashed and caught fire near the runway.

Investigators are expected to examine technical, operational and environmental factors, including visibility conditions and the absence of an instrument landing system at the Baramati airstrip, which operates as an uncontrolled airfield, said the report. Experts have suggested that limited navigation aids may have played a role during marginal weather conditions.

Preliminary inputs indicated that the pilot of Pawar’s flight had reported low visibility during the first landing attempt, and officials have not ruled out weather as a contributing factor. However, the aviation ministry has reiterated that the pilot-in-command had over 15,000 flying hours and the aircraft operator had cleared regulatory audits.

(With inputs from PTI)