How Ajit Pawar plane crash unfolded: Civil Aviation ministry gives blow-by-blow account

Besides the seven Learjet 45 aircraft (including the one involved in accident), there are five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B200 aircraft and one Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, in VSR Ventures’ fleet.

Ajit Pawar news: ‘Baramati’s uncontrolled airfield’

Baramati, where Ajit Pawar was headed, is an uncontrolled airfield. This means that air traffic information is provided by the instructors/pilot from the flying training organisations at Baramati. The ministry said the sequence of events leading to the fatal crash was as follows, based on the statement of the person manning the Air Traffic Control (ATC):

 

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Ajit Pawar death news: How Ajit Pawar’s plane crash unfolded

• On January 28, the aircraft VI-SSK established initial contact with Baramati at 08.18 am IST.
• The next call from the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar was received “at 30 NM inbound to Baramati and they were released by Pune approach,” the release says. Because of the peculiar conditions at the Baramati airport — there is no navigational aid at this regional airstrip — the pilot was advised to descend in “Visual Meteorological conditions at pilot’s discretion”. This means the pilot has to depend on his sight to land and even avoid other aircraft.
• The crew then enquired about the winds and visibility at the Baramti airport. The ATC official informed that the winds were calm and visibility was around 3000 metres.
• The first attempt: The aircraft reported on the final approach of Runway 11 but the runway was “not in sight to them”. They initiated a go-around in this first approach.
• After Go Around, the ATC asked the aircraft about its position. The crew reported on final approach of runway 11.
• The ATC asked them to report whether the runway was in sight. They replied “runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight”. But a few seconds later they reported that the runway was now in sight.
• The aircraft was cleared to land on runway 11 by the authorities. The time: 08.43IST. But the aircraft crew did not give a “readback of the landing clearance”.
• What the ATC saw next was flames around the threshold of Runway 11 at 08.44 IST.
• The emergency services rushed to the crash site.
• The authorities located the wreckage of the aircraft on the left side of the runway “abeam threshold R/W 11”.

AAIB takes over probe

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the investigation. DG, AAIB is reaching the accident site for investigation, the release said. Further details of the same as and when available will be shared.

The AAIB is also investigating the fateful Air India accident in Ahmedabad when a London-bound plane crashed minutes after take-off. There was only one survivor in that crash, with 241 passengers dead.