Ajit Pawar Death: New CCTV footage has surfaced, showing the Learjet 45, which was carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, tilting sharply to the left just moments before crashing near Baramati airport on Wednesday morning.
The footage depicts the aircraft descending rapidly while rolling sharply to the left, close to the ground. According to an NDTV report, aviation experts stated that it is highly unusual for an aircraft to behave in this manner just before landing. They suggested that it could have been caused by a technical malfunction or the pilots attempting to counteract some sort of stress on the plane.
The 16-year-old aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed at 8.10 am while attempting a second landing approach at Baramati, an uncontrolled airfield where traffic information is typically provided by instructors and pilots from local flying training organisations. On board were Deputy Chief Minister Pawar, his Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav, Captain Sumit Kapoor, First Officer Shambhavi Pathak, and flight attendant Pinky Mali.
Ajit Pawar had taken off from Mumbai earlier that morning to address four rallies in Pune district as part of the campaign for the upcoming February 5 Zilla Parishad elections.
The Learjet had been cleared for landing at Baramati after performing a go-around due to poor visibility. However, after receiving clearance, the crew failed to provide the required 'read-back' to air traffic control (ATC), and just moments later, the plane burst into flames near the runway's threshold.
At 8:18 am, the aircraft established contact with Baramati air traffic control after being handed over from Pune approach, approximately 30 nautical miles (about 55 km) away. The crew was advised to descend at their discretion under Visual Meteorological Conditions and was informed that the winds were calm and visibility was about 3,000 metres.
When the aircraft reached its final approach to the runway, the crew reported that the runway was not visible and initiated a go-around for a second attempt. Initially stating that the runway was still out of sight, the crew then reported "runway in sight" just seconds later, and ATC cleared the aircraft to land at 8:43 am.
However, the crew did not provide the required read-back of this final clearance. At 8:44 am, exactly one minute after the last communication, ATC personnel observed flames erupting near the runway’s threshold.
Emergency services were on the scene immediately after the explosion, and the wreckage was found on the left side of the runway. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently examining why the crew struggled to maintain visual contact with the runway, despite the reported visibility of 3,000 metres.
The new CCTV footage shows the moment the plane tilted at 8:44 am, followed by a rapid descent. All five individuals on board were confirmed dead by the time rescuers arrived at the site, with sources confirming that Pawar was identified by the wristwatch he was wearing.
The tragic death of the 66-year-old NCP leader, who had served as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister six times, has left a significant void in the state's political landscape. This will have a considerable impact on the dynamics of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, where the NCP is allied with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, a member of the Rajya Sabha, and their two sons, Parth and Jay. His Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had contested the recent municipal elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in alliance with his uncle Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP).