Ajit Pawar Crash: DGCA Report Reveals No Mayday Call, Runway Visibility Failure

No mayday call, runway not visible: DGCA reveals what went wrong on Ajit Pawar’s last flight

The tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28, 2026, has been shrouded in mystery and speculation. Now, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released its initial findings, painting a chilling picture of the final moments of the ill-fated Learjet 45. The Ajit Pawar crash DGCA report reveals two critical, and deeply concerning, facts: the pilots never issued a Mayday call, and they were unable to see the runway during their second landing attempt at Baramati [[1]].

This official account shifts the narrative from political conspiracy theories to a stark examination of aviation protocols and human factors under extreme pressure. It’s a story not of malice, but of a rapid, silent descent into disaster where every second counted—and crucial steps were missed.

Table of Contents

The Final Approach: What the DGCA Report Reveals

According to the DGCA’s preliminary occurrence report, the Learjet 45, registered as VT-JRM and operated by VSR Ventures, was on its second attempt to land at the private airstrip in Baramati, Pune [[1]]. The first approach was aborted—a standard procedure known as a ‘go-around’—due to poor visibility of the runway. This is a common safety measure when pilots cannot establish the required visual reference with the ground.

However, during this second, fateful approach, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The report states that the crew again struggled to acquire visual contact with the runway. In the critical seconds that followed, the aircraft descended too low and crashed just short of the threshold, killing all five people on board instantly [[3]].

Ajit Pawar Crash DGCA Report: Key Findings Decoded

The DGCA’s initial findings are concise but packed with technical and procedural implications. Let’s break down the most significant revelations:

  • No Mayday or Pan-Pan Call: Perhaps the most startling detail is that the flight crew did not issue any form of distress signal. A ‘Mayday’ call is the international standard for a life-threatening emergency, while a ‘Pan-Pan’ indicates an urgent situation that is not immediately life-threatening. Their silence suggests the emergency developed with terrifying speed, leaving no time for communication [[1]].
  • Runway Not in Sight: The primary reason for the go-around and the subsequent crash was the inability to see the runway. This points to either adverse weather conditions like fog or low cloud cover, or potential issues with the airport’s lighting and approach aids, which are minimal at a private airstrip like Baramati [[7]].
  • Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT): While not explicitly stated in the preliminary report, the scenario described—a functional aircraft being flown into the ground due to a loss of situational awareness—is a classic hallmark of a CFIT accident, one of the most common types of fatal aviation incidents worldwide [[9]].

The Aircraft and Operator: VSR Ventures Under Scrutiny

The aircraft involved was a Learjet 45, a popular mid-size business jet known for its speed and reliability. It was owned and operated by VSR Ventures, a private charter company. In the wake of the crash, the DGCA has grounded the entire fleet of VSR Ventures for a thorough safety audit [[1]]. This is a standard precautionary measure to check for any systemic maintenance or operational issues that could have contributed to the accident.

Questions will inevitably be raised about the operator’s safety culture, pilot training for operations at non-towered, private airfields, and the decision-making process that led to the flight attempting a landing in marginal weather conditions. You can learn more about aircraft safety regulations on [INTERNAL_LINK:india-aviation-safety-standards].

Why No Mayday Call? The Silence of the Cockpit

The absence of a Mayday call is a critical piece of the puzzle. In aviation, communication is paramount. So why the silence?

Experts suggest a few possibilities. The most likely is that the crew was entirely focused on trying to regain control of the aircraft or locate the runway in the final, panicked seconds. This phenomenon, known as ‘task saturation,’ can cause pilots to neglect secondary tasks like radio communication. Another possibility is a sudden catastrophic event, such as a bird strike or a stall, that incapacitated the crew instantly. However, the DGCA’s description of a go-around followed by a second failed approach points more towards a gradual loss of situational awareness rather than a sudden mechanical failure [[12]].

Baramati Airport: A Challenging Landing Strip

The Baramati airstrip is not a commercial airport. It’s a private facility with limited infrastructure. Unlike major airports equipped with Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) that guide planes down to the runway in zero visibility, Baramati relies on visual approaches. This makes it highly susceptible to weather disruptions.

Pilots flying into such locations must be exceptionally well-trained in visual flight rules (VFR) and have a clear understanding of the minimum safe weather conditions for landing. The Ajit Pawar crash DGCA report strongly implies that these minimums may not have been met, or that the crew pressed on despite the risks—a decision that proved fatal [[15]].

Next Steps: The Path to a Full Investigation

The DGCA’s current report is merely a preliminary ‘occurrence report’ designed to capture immediate facts. A full-scale investigation is now underway, which will involve:

  1. Recovering and analyzing the aircraft’s black boxes (Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder).
  2. Conducting a detailed metallurgical analysis of the wreckage to rule out structural failure.
  3. Reviewing the pilots’ training records, medical fitness, and recent flight history.
  4. Assessing the exact weather conditions at the time of the crash using meteorological data.

This comprehensive probe, which can take several months, will aim to determine the definitive probable cause of the accident. Its findings will be crucial for preventing similar tragedies in the future.

Conclusion: A Tragedy Rooted in Aviation Protocol

The initial details from the Ajit Pawar crash DGCA report steer the conversation away from sensationalism and towards a sobering reality of aviation safety. The crash appears to be a tragic confluence of challenging weather, the limitations of a private airstrip, and a critical lapse in cockpit communication and decision-making. As the nation mourns the loss of a prominent political figure, the aviation community will be looking to this investigation for lessons that can save lives on future flights. The silence of that final Mayday call is a haunting reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in the sky.

Sources

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