'Why ground fit aircraft?' Plane owner after Ajit Pawar's death
What's the story
The owner of VSR Aviation, VK Singh, has defended the Learjet 45 that crashed at Baramati airport in Pune district, saying it was "absolutely fit" and ruled out any technical failure. The crash killed all five people on board, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. "The aircraft was absolutely fit to the best of our knowledge," Singh said.
Incident overview
Crash details and aircraft condition
The Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, was trying to land when it lost control near the runway around 8:48am. The aircraft made hard contact with the runway and caught fire immediately. Local airport staff and emergency responders reached the site soon after but found the aircraft extensively damaged. When asked if the company, which operates seven Learjets, was planning to ground the remaining fleet, Singh said no. "Why should I ground them? They are all fit aircraft," he said.
Probe progress
Investigation underway into Learjet crash
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the incident. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are yet to be recovered for analysis. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has also sent a team from Delhi to begin inspection and a formal probe into the crash. Maharashtra police sources said an accident case has been registered and a report will be sought from DGCA to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Fleet details
VSR Aviation's fleet and aircraft condition
VSR Aviation operates charter and medical evacuation services from multiple Indian cities with a fleet of seven Learjet 45 aircraft. The crashed aircraft was manufactured in 2010 and had logged about 4,915 hours of flying time with nearly 5,900 cycles. Its Certificate of Registration was issued in December 2022 while its Certificate of Airworthiness dates back to December 2021. The Airworthiness Review Certificate, granted in September 2025, is valid until September 2026.
Pilot defense
VSR owner defends pilots, rules out grounding aircraft
Moreover, the plane was being flown by highly experienced pilots, Singh said. Captain Sumit Kapoor had over 16,000 hours of flying experience and had worked with Sahara, Jetlite and Jet Airways. The co-pilot had logged around 1,500 hours. Singh described both as "extremely good human beings" and seasoned professionals. He stressed that the investigation now lies with regulators. "The DGCA can only speak. I am not the investigating authority," he said.