2026 Baramati Learjet 45 crash

6 min read Original article ↗

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2026 aviation accident in India

2026 Baramati Learjet 45 crash

A CCTV still of the aircraft seconds before crashing

Accident
Date28 January 2026
SummaryLoss of control, under investigation
Site
Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident, while still in service with a previous operator in 2021
Aircraft typeLearjet 45XR
OperatorVSR Ventures
RegistrationVT-SSK
Flight originChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India
DestinationBaramati Airport, Baramati, India
Occupants5
Passengers2
Crew3
Fatalities5
Survivors0

On 28 January 2026, a Learjet 45XR operated by VSR Ventures crashed during a charter flight from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to Baramati Airport in Maharashtra, India, killing the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, as well as all four other occupants. The crash was determined to be in low visibility and heavy fog.

The aircraft involved was a VT-SSK, a 16-year-old Learjet 45XR operated by VSR Ventures.[1][2][3] VSR Aviation provides charter and medivac flights.[4]

Passengers and crew

[edit]

There were five people onboard the flight. The pilot was Sumit Kapur, who had logged 16,500 flight hours. The co-pilot was identified as Shambhavi Pathak. The flight attendant was identified as Pinky Mali. The passengers were identified as Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and his personal security officer, Vidip Jadhav.[5][6] Kapur was not intended to be present, and filled in for a friend who had been stuck in traffic.[7]

At approximately 08:46 IST (UTC+5:30), the aircraft crashed into an open field while attempting a second approach to runway 11 at Baramati Airport. The aircraft veered off the runway, burst into flames, and was destroyed on impact, resulting in the deaths of Pawar and four others on board.[8][9][10] The pilot issued a warning minutes before the crash.[11] CCTV footage showed the aircraft flipping, losing control, crashing and exploding.[12] At the time of the incident, Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address multiple public meetings in connection with the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.[13]

Devendra Fadnavis, the chief minister of Maharashtra, announced three days of state mourning. He went on to describe the incident as "an immeasurable loss". The loss was announced by half flaring of flag of India for the next three days after the accident.[1]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly, Twitter) that he was saddened by news of the crash and also paid tribute to Pawar.[14]

Tributes came in from across the political spectrum including from Devendra Fadnavis, Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah and Sanjay Raut.[14] Thousands of his followers and supporters filled the streets of Baramati for his funeral, where he was cremated with full state honours. Among the attendees was Shah.[15]

VK Singh, the owner of VSR Ventures, claimed technical failure was unlikely and low visibility was the primary factor behind the incident.[16]

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau arrived at the scene and is investigating the cause.[17][18] The flight recorder was recovered from the crash site.[19] Local media cited poor visibility as a potential cause for the crash.[11]

On 25 February 2026, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) noted concerns about airworthiness oversight, flight operations, and flight management systems and grounded four Learjet aircraft of the operator VSR Ventures.[20]

  1. ^ a b "Ajit Pawar plane crash live updates: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis announces three-day state mourning after Pawar's death". Hindustan Times. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  2. ^ "VT-SSK – Learjet 45XR". Flightradar24. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Learjet 45 XR involved in Baramati plane crash had previous accident history". The New Indian Express. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  4. ^ "VSR Aviation". VSR Aviation. Archived from the original on 15 November 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar, four others killed after plane crash in Baramati". The Hindu. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Live updates: 'Dada was a man of his word': Fadnavis pays tribute to Ajit Pawar; 3-day state mourning declared". The Times of India. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Captain Sumit Kapoor Wasn't Supposed To Fly Ajit Pawar Plane That Day: Friend". NDTV. 30 January 2026. Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Ajit Pawar's Flight Crash in Baramati". CNN-News18. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Ajit Pawar Passed Away: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister dies in plane crash near Baramati". Lokmat. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Air charter crash in India's Maharashtra kills key state leader". Reuters. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Pilot issued warning minutes before Ajit Pawar plane crash". The Independent. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Steep descent, then fireball: New video shows moment Ajit Pawar's plane crashed". India Today. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  13. ^ Wable, Omkar (28 January 2026). "Ajit Pawar, 4 others killed in plane crash in Baramati: What we know so far". India Today. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  14. ^ a b "Ajit Pawar: Veteran Indian politician dies in plane crash". BBC News. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Veteran Indian politician Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash, leaving power vacuum". The Guardian. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  16. ^ "V.K. Singh: 'Aircraft Was Absolutely Fit, Low Visibility Likely Caused The Crash'". India Today. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Ajit Pawar plane crash updates: AAIB team reaches Baramati; launches forensic probe". Deccan Herald. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Ajit Pawar LIVE: Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau To Probe Cause Of Crash". NDTV. 28 January 2026. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  19. ^ "Ajit Pawar plane crash: Black box recovered; govt assures time-bound probe – what we know so far". The Times of India. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  20. ^ "DGCA grounds 4 VSR aircraft after Baramati crash, tightens charter safety rules". National Herald. 24 February 2026. Retrieved 25 February 2026.