Preliminary insights from aviation experts and officials suggest that poor visibility during the landing approach may have played a significant role in the tragic crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. The chartered Learjet 45XR, en route from Mumbai to Baramati, crashed while attempting to land at a tabletop runway near Baramati Airport, bursting into flames on impact.
Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that initial information indicates low visibility at the time of the incident. According to officials, the aircraft first approached the runway but was unable to sight it, prompting a go-around — a standard aviation manoeuvre when a visual landing cannot be safely executed. On the second attempt, the pilot reported seeing the runway and received clearance to land, but the jet subsequently crashed short of the runway.
Baramati Airport operates as an uncontrolled airfield without a dedicated air traffic control tower, leaving visual cues and local guidance as key inputs for pilots during landing. Experts told media that conditions requiring purely visual approaches are especially challenging when visibility deteriorates, increasing the margin for error.
CCTV footage from near the site showed the Learjet banking and losing altitude before a sudden descent and explosion, underscoring how quickly situations can escalate when runway alignment is lost at low altitude.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has recovered the aircraft’s black box — including the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder — and is analysing key data that could provide clearer answers. Union Minister Naidu has assured a transparent, time-bound probe into the crash.
The tragedy, which also knocked out a senior state leader in the midst of local election campaigning, has triggered nationwide reflections on aviation safety at smaller airfields and reinforced the importance of stringent operational standards under variable weather conditions.
