Ajit Pawar plane crash: Black box recovered from Baramati site

Baramati (Maha), Jan 29: Authorities probing the aircraft crash near Baramati that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others have recovered the blackbox from the accident site, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said on Thursday.

In a statement, MoCA said all requisite response and investigative mechanisms were activated immediately after the crash, with a thorough, transparent, and time-bound inquiry remaining a top priority.

A team of three officers from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Delhi, and another team of three officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Mumbai Regional Office, reached the crash site on January 28. The Director General of AAIB also visited the site on the same day.

“The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the black box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered,” the ministry said, adding that the probe has been initiated in accordance with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, and will be completed strictly as per established Standard Operating Procedures.

Reports also indicate that both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) have been retrieved from the crash site.

Earlier, officials from the DGCA and forensic teams inspected the site, while Pune Rural Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) at Baramati Taluka Police Station and initiated further probe into the incident.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died on Wednesday morning when a chartered Learjet carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport. According to the DGCA, the aircraft veered off the runway during landing and burst into flames. No distress signal was issued prior to the crash.

Besides Pawar, the accident claimed the lives of his personal security officer, a cabin crew member, and two pilots.

The mortal remains of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader were brought to his residence in Katewadi ahead of his last rites. The funeral will be held at Vidya Pratishthan Ground in Baramati at 11 am on Thursday with full state honours.

The Maharashtra government has announced a three-day state mourning period until January 30, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the state.