Ajit Pawar plane crash: AAIB submits interim probe report, calls for stricter oversight of operations at smaller airfields

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday (February 28, 2026) submitted its preliminary report into the plane crash near Baramati Ajit Pawar that killed Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28, 2026.

The report comes exactly a month after a Learjet-45 aircraft owned by VSR Ventures crashed at Baramati airfield on January 28.

In its interim safety recommendations, the crash probe agency called for tighter regulatory oversight of operations at smaller airfields, a review of licensing them, and urgent upgrades to landing and meteorological (MET) infrastructure.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s interim report states that the investigation is still underway, and the Cockpit Voice Recorder data is yet to be downloaded with the help of U.S. transport crash probe body, National Transportation Safety Board.

“All the aspects of the accident will be examined and investigated to bring out the facts, root cause(s) and contributory factor(s) leading to the accident,” the preliminary report said.

It has recommended several interim safety recommendations for the aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to implement.

The AAIB report states that all flights landing at airports that don’t support instrument landing must follow all laid-down protocols. It requires the DGCA to ensure infrastructure is upgraded for safer flight operations, and even review licensing of such airfields.

“It is recommended that DGCA may take necessary measures to enhance the landing aids along with basic MET facility at these airports to cater for large number of chartered flying (including VIP flights) being carried out at these airports.  It is recommended that DGCA may check the feasibility of licensing these aerodromes for conduct of safe and regulated flying operations,” the report said.

Pawar (66), who had taken off from Mumbai, and four other persons on board a Learjet 45 plane died after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of the tabletop airstrip at Baramati, his hometown in Pune district, on Wednesday morning.

The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, with 1,500 hours of flying experience, Pawar’s Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.