Ajit Pawar crash: Son shares video, questions AAIB report
What's the story
Jay Pawar, the son of late Ajit Pawar, has raised concerns over the preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the plane crash that killed his father. The crash occurred on January 28 in Baramati, Maharashtra. The Learjet 45XR aircraft operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd crashed while attempting to land at an uncontrolled airfield under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
Report findings
Crash details
The AAIB report noted that visibility was 3km, below the 5km minimum for VFR operations. All five people on board died in the crash. The crew had initially requested to land on Runway 29 but later switched to Runway 11 after being cleared by Air Traffic Control. The aircraft attempted a go-around before attempting a second landing approach.
Family's plea
Jay Pawar demands answers
Jay Pawar has demanded transparency and comprehensive answers regarding the crash. He also questioned the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) action against VSR Ventures, suggesting similar deficiencies might exist in other aircraft. "If serious lapses are found in safety-related rules and procedures...it is necessary to take a strict decision regarding the entire VSR fleet," he said.
Negligence allegations
Allegations of negligence during flight
In a separate Instagram post, Jay Pawar shared a video alleging negligence during a flight. He claimed that VSR owner Rohit Singh was seen sleeping in the chief pilot's seat during the flight. "Such negligence while being in the air is unacceptable," he wrote. He demanded immediate action against Singh and called for all VSR aircraft to be grounded until further investigation.
Twitter Post
Video mentioned by Jay Pawar of seperate incident
जय पवार यांनी शेअर केलेला हा व्हिडिओ खूप महत्वाचा आहे.VRS कंपनीचा मालक हा मुख्य वैमानिकाच्या चेअर वर असून झोपलेला आहे! उपमुख्यमंत्री अजित पवार यांच्या बाबत असाच हलगर्जीपणा झाला का? या कंपनीवर कारवाई का होत नाही? अजून किती लोकांच्या जीव धोक्यात घालणार? pic.twitter.com/1xLX41gbXF
— Rashmi Puranik (@Marathi_Rash) March 2, 2026
Infrastructure issues
Baramati airfield lacks navigational aids, say investigators
The AAIB report also highlighted infrastructure concerns at Baramati airfield, which is operated by Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited. The airfield lacks navigational aids other than windsocks and has faded runway markings, with the last re-carpeting carried out in March 2016. There is no boundary wall around the aerodrome, raising perimeter safety concerns. The investigation is ongoing with interim safety recommendations issued to DGCA for VFR flights to uncontrolled airfields.