A day after Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Maharashtra’s Baramati, the plane’s black box was recovered on Thursday for further probe, said the ministry of civil aviation.
“The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the black box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered,” the ministry said.
What is black box
The ‘black box’, also called flight recorded, is one of the most crucial parts of an aircraft. According to the World Aviation Flight Academy, it is a “device designed to capture and store important data during flight.”
Track updates of Ajit Pawar's funeral here
It added that inside the black box, “there are different electronic components, recording systems and sensors that register all kind of technical information about the aircraft’s performance such as speed, altitude, position, control settings, vibrations as well as cockpit conversations and sounds.”
World Aviation Flight Academy said that with the help of blackbox, the investigators can reconstruct the events prior to an accident and determine its causes and so “preventive measures that help to improve safety in the aeronautical industry can be taken.”
{{/usCountry}}World Aviation Flight Academy said that with the help of blackbox, the investigators can reconstruct the events prior to an accident and determine its causes and so “preventive measures that help to improve safety in the aeronautical industry can be taken.”
{{/usCountry}}Also read: 3-member team formed to probe Ajit Pawar plane crash: How investigation will proceed
The ‘black boxes’, however, are orange in color to make them easier to find in wreckage, sometimes deep into oceans. They’re usually installed in a plane's tail section, which is considered the most survivable part of the aircraft, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's website.
‘Transparent, time-bound probe remains top priority’
Ajit Pawar, along with two pilots, a cabin crew member, and a security personnel, was travelling to Baramati when the aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 45, crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airstrip near Pune. Everyone on board passed away.
On Thursday morning, the ministry of civil aviation said that all requisite response and investigative mechanisms were activated immediately after the tragedy.
“Ensuring a thorough, transparent, and time-bound inquiry remains a top priority,” the ministry said, adding that a team of three officers from Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Delhi, and another team of three officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Mumbai Regional Office, reached the crash site on 28 January, along with the AAIB’s director general.
“The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the black box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) remains fully committed to completing the investigation within a defined timeframe, strictly in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and laid-down guidelines. The investigation has been initiated in accordance with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025,” it said.
Ajit Pawar’s funeral
Ajit Pawar’s funeral was held with full state honours in Baramati on Thursday morning at 11 am, with ministers and politicians from across the country and party lines attending.
Ajit Pawar’s sons, Jay and Parth, performed the last rites of their father at Vidya Pratishtan ground among a sea of supporters and political leaders, including home minister Amit Shah and CM Devendra Fadnavis, and others.