A preliminary investigation into the fatal crash of a VSR Aviation chartered jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has found that the aircraft attempted to land at Baramati airport in visibility of 3,000 metres, below the legally required minimum of 5,000 metres for such airfields.
All five people on board the Learjet 45XR, including two pilots, a cabin attendant and two passengers, were killed when the aircraft crashed to the left of Runway 11, struck trees and caught fire.
Visibility Below Minimum Requirement
According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)’s preliminary report, the crew was informed that visibility at the time of landing was 3,000 metres. However, Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which apply to airports without landing navigation instruments, require a minimum visibility of 5,000 metres.
The report said the visibility figure was not formally measured. Baramati airport does not have a meteorological facility. Instead, visibility was estimated by a ground instructor stationed at one of the airfield’s two temporary towers.
The instructor used a hand-drawn reference chart showing permanent structures, including water tanks, a police headquarters and a toll gate, located at different distances around the airfield. This estimate was then conveyed to the crew of aircraft VT-SSK as they descended.
The crew continued the approach.
First Landing Attempt Aborted, Second Attempt Ended In Crash
During the first landing attempt, the pilots reported being “visual with terrain” but unable to see the airfield and initiated a go-around procedure. They then re-entered the circuit and attempted a second landing on Runway 11, one end of which is a table-top runway with sharply falling terrain beyond the threshold.
At 8:43 AM, the crew reported the airfield in sight. Sixteen seconds later, they were cleared to land, with the tower reporting calm winds.
Fourteen seconds after receiving clearance, the crew transmitted “Oh St… Oh St…” before the aircraft struck trees and terrain beyond the runway edge.
Fog And Low Visibility Confirmed By Reports
Satellite imagery from INSAT-3DR captured between 8:45 AM and 9:12 AM showed “very shallow fog in patches” over Baramati.
Weather data from nearby Pune airport, located 81 kilometres away, recorded visibility as low as 2,000 metres with mist during the same period. Mumbai, from where the flight had originated, reported visibility of 2,500 metres with smoke and haze.
The AAIB report noted that landing clearance was issued without any recorded challenge from the tower regarding the sub-minimum visibility conditions.
Probe Flags Systemic Flaws, Issues Safety Recommendations
The investigation highlighted systemic shortcomings, particularly at uncontrolled airfields without permanent air traffic control or meteorological infrastructure.
In interim safety recommendations, the AAIB urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure operators strictly follow standard operating procedures when flying to uncontrolled airfields. It also recommended that aerodrome operators allow flights only when weather conditions meet regulatory limits.
The investigation is ongoing. Flight data recorder information has been successfully downloaded and is under analysis. The cockpit voice recorder was thermally damaged in the post-crash fire and is being sent to the United States for specialised recovery by the National Transportation Safety Board.
