Fatal Learjet crash in India kills deputy chief minister
January 28, 2026
A charter business jet crash in western India has claimed the lives of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four other people. The aircraft went down during its approach to a regional airport on 28 January.
India’s aviation regulator confirmed that no one survived the accident, which involved a Learjet 45 – registered as VT-SSK – operated by charter company VSR Ventures.
The aircraft was carrying Pawar, two members of his staff and two flight crew.
The jet was attempting to land near Baramati, around 250km southeast of Mumbai, when it crashed and caught fire. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found extensive wreckage scattered across an open area, with post-impact fire severely damaging the aircraft.
Learjet crashes on approach Baramati regional airport in Maharashtra
Initial information from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) indicates that the accident occurred during the approach phase, although no official cause has yet been identified.
Data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft was first detected by the tracking service’s ADS-B receivers at 02:40 UTC (08:10 local time), climbing westbound over the sea to about 3,300ft before turning south. It then tracked east-southeast over land, reaching a cruising altitude of approximately 19,000ft by 02:50 UTC.
Flightradar24 data suggests the aircraft subsequently attempted a visual approach to runway 11, with receivers capturing a position at 03:06 UTC (08:36 local) indicating an altitude of around 2,500ft, only slightly above the airfield elevation of roughly 2,000ft.
Due to limited receiver coverage in the area, the next available data point indicates the landing attempt was discontinued.
The aircraft appears to have passed close to or over the runway before turning north, accelerating and climbing to about 2,800ft.
The aircraft then manoeuvred for what appears to have been a second approach to runway 11. The final signal received by Flightradar24 at 03:13 UTC (08:43 local) placed the aircraft west-northwest of the runway, shortly before the loss of tracking data.
Multiple explosions and a field of wreckage at the site of the Learjet crash
Weather conditions and aircraft performance have not been publicly released.
Witness footage aired by Indian media outlets showed thick smoke rising from the wreckage shortly after impact. Local reports quoted by ANI described multiple explosions following the crash, which prevented any rescue attempt due to the intensity of the fire.
Scattered wreckage, ashes all over: Aerial shots of Ajit Pawar's jet crash site
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 28, 2026
Scattered wreckage of the Bombardier Learjet 45 (VT-SSK), which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was travelling in earlier today, along with ashes, is all that remains at the edge of the… pic.twitter.com/ziA08yBkXt
The Learjet had departed from Mumbai earlier in the day, with Pawar reportedly travelling to his political stronghold to campaign in local government elections.
Following the incident, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, said,” We will conduct an investigation in a transparent and accountable manner. Preliminary information indicates that visibility was poor at the site at the time of landing around 8:48 am.”
The CCTV footage of the Learjet 45XR aircraft (VT-SSK) that crashed near Baramati airport of Maharashtra of India this morning (at around 8:45 am).#aircraft #safety #aviation https://t.co/laoDnYOBIy pic.twitter.com/UVpWkEstMb
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) January 28, 2026
Learjet 45 and operator VSR Ventures under scrutiny
The aircraft involved was a Learjet 45, a twin-engine light business jet commonly used for charter and corporate operations.
The DGCA has secured the accident site and is expected to open a formal investigation, which will examine flight data, maintenance records, crew qualifications and operational factors surrounding the crash.
Mourners gather in large numbers to pay their last respects to #AjitPawar. Walkthrough from Vidya Pratishthan, where his mortal remains have been kept.#ReporterDiary | @mausamii2u pic.twitter.com/8PA74XSeHt
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 28, 2026
The accident is among the most serious fatal business aviation incidents in India in recent years, and is likely to draw renewed attention to charter operations, pilot training and approach safety at regional airports.
On 14 September 2023, a company-operated Learjet 45, registered VT-DBL, was involved in an accident during landing at Mumbai Airport. The occurrence is currently under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Featured image: PTI
