The Learjet 45, the plane that crashed with Ajit Pawar on board in Baramati

Maharashtra’s ‘Dada’ is no more. The state’s Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has passed away after a chartered plane ferrying him from Mumbai to Baramati in Pune — also known as the Pawar bastion — crash-landed.

Along with the 66-year-old Maharashtra political veteran, his two staff members as well as two crew died as the plane in question plunged towards the runway, before breaking apart and bursting into flames.

The plane crash linked to
Ajit Pawar has now raised questions — what we know of the aircraft, its safety record, its operator, and more — as initial investigations suggest that the plane may have suffered a
technical glitch.

Final moments of plane carrying Ajit Pawar

On Wednesday, at 8.10 am, the plane — identified as a Learjet 45 — carrying Ajit Pawar and four others, took off from Mumbai’s airport, flew around the Arabian Sea towards Baramati, and made its first approach at landing around 8.30 am.

However, it was unsuccessful, probably due to poor visibility, following which the plane’s crew attempted a second landing at 8.42 am. It soon disappeared from radar and shortly later, the sad news flashed on news channels. The jet crashed at the threshold of runway 11 in a ball of fire at the Baramati airport, causing the deaths of Ajit Pawar and the others on board.

Indian media reporting the crash of a business jet this morning has claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 4 others. The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed. https://t.co/0RKiD9sZVU pic.twitter.com/1kcoWgc3I1

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 28, 2026

Eyewitnesses at Baramati recount the moment they saw the plane turning into a fireball. One of them said to News18, “I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion.”

“After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were four-five explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help,” the witness added, “Ajit Pawar was on board and this is really painful for us. I can’t describe it in words.”

Another eyewitness told news agency ANI, “The plane was flying towards the runway and just fell 100 feet before approaching it.”

Footage from the aftermath, which is circulating widely online, reveals charred aircraft sections, loose papers and mangled parts strewn across the runway, as firefighters continued their rescue operations at the site.

Speaking of the crash in which Pawar died, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), noted that it is a “
table top runway” and that the aircraft crashed on the tip of the runway while attempting to land.

While it hasn’t provided the exact cause of the crash yet, officials have said that they are investigating all angles, including poor weather conditions.

Focus shifts to plane, Learjet 45

Following the demise of Ajit Pawar, attention has moved to the model of the aircraft and the aircraft operator in India.

The plane that crashed, a Learjet 45 bearing registration VT-SSK, belonged to Delhi-based VSR Aviation.

The Learjet 45 is a mid-size business jet aircraft manufactured by Canada’s Bombardier Aerospace, with around 640 such planes built during its manufacturing run between 1995 and 2012. It typically seats eight people, with the cabin arranged in a club seating configuration, with two rows of facing seats and a small aisle in between. Some versions also have a side facing seat or a small sofa. There is a small refreshment area and an enclosed toilet at the rear of the cabin.

The aircraft is flown by two pilots and may also carry a cabin attendant on longer flights. The Learjet 45 is built for speed and comfort. It can fly at around 800 to 850 kilometres per hour and has a range of nearly 3,000 kilometres, allowing nonstop travel between many major Indian cities.

One of the reasons the aircraft is widely used by operators is because it has short runway capabilities.

In 2021, Bombardier discontinued production of the Learjet 45; however, the aircraft continues to be used across the world.

VSR Aviation, the operator involved

The Learjet 45 that crashed on Wednesday belonged to Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. According to records, this company, offering aircraft charters to business professionals, also has operations in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhopal. The company is primarily operated by Vijay Kumar Singh and Rohit Singh.

Having a fleet of 18 aircraft, VSR’s official website stated that it had a portfolio of over 60 pilots and a track record of 15 years. Moreover, the company has listed Havells India, Welspun and APL Apollo as key customers, although the website does not offer more details on any of these clients.

Speaking on the crash in Baramati, officials from VSR Aviation said the aircraft had no known safety issues. Vijay Kumar Singh told India Today that the aircraft was “100 per cent safe” and that the crew was “fairly experienced”. He added that poor visibility could have been a factor, although the final determination would come from the DGCA investigation.

Learjet’s safety record states otherwise

While VSR Aviation notes that the plane that crashed and caused Ajit Pawar’s death was “100 per cent safe”, data suggest otherwise.

On September 14, 2023, Learjet 45 aircraft VT-DBL, operating a flight from Vizag to Mumbai with six passengers and two crew members on board, veered off the runway at Mumbai International Airport. Fortunately, the passengers and the pilots survived the crash even though impact caused the fuselage to break into two sections.

Prior to the 2023 crash, the Learjet was also involved in another incident in Mexico in 2008. The aircraft was carrying Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño with nine other people on board when it crashed in Central Mexico city. The plane also killed seven people on the ground in its desperate attempt for an emergency landing. In its approach to Mexico City International Airport, the Learjet 45 experienced strong turbulence. Leading to which, the plane nose dived and claimed the lives of everyone on board. Though the pilots were able to reduce the angle of descent, but they failed to regain control due to excessive speed and insufficient altitude.

Similarly, in the year 2003, the business jet crashed after a scheduled takeoff from Milane Linate Airport. The plane hit a flock of birds moments after it left ground, and officials claimed to have found the dead remains of the birds on the runway. The incident led both the pilots succumb to the deadly crash.

According to News18, beyond fatal crashes, the Learjet 45 has been involved in more than 40 non-fatal accidents and serious incidents worldwide.

Now, the plane’s safety record will once be under a cloud with Ajit Pawar’s demise and with officials calling for a proper investigation.

With inputs from agencies