New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Thursday that the preliminary report into the January 28 Learjet 45 crash in Baramati will be issued by February 28, as the investigation continues amid mounting pressure from Pawar’s family for transparency and accountability.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others died around 8.44 am when the medium-sized plane, belonging to Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crashed during its second attempt to land at Baramati airport in Pune district.
The investigation is being carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Office under the Aircraft (Accident and Accident Investigation) Rules 2025 and Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
“The investigation being conducted by the AAIB is technical and evidence-based, and includes a systematic examination of the wreckage, operation and maintenance records and laboratory tests of components where appropriate. A preliminary report will be issued within 30 days of the accident, in accordance with ICAO rules, and a final report will follow in due course,” the ministry said in its statement on Thursday.
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The investigation is subject to scrutiny. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said on February 10 that the incident might be an act of sabotage. Rohit, a third-generation leader of the Pawar family — Ajit’s father and Rohit’s grandfather were siblings — raised questions regarding VSR Ventures’ maintenance practices. He is part of the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, from which Ajit parted ways in July 2023.
The AAIB said on February 17 that it had requested “special support” to recover data from the cockpit voice recorder, which suffered thermal damage in the crash. The office said it had requested assistance from the recorder’s manufacturer, Honeywell, to decode the damaged CVR in accordance with ICAO requirements.
Meanwhile, the government said on Thursday: “The review began on February 4, 2026 and is expected to conclude soon. The findings will be reviewed and action will be taken in accordance with the DGCA’s Enforcement Policies and Procedures Manual.”
She added that the DGCA is also conducting special audits of other major non-scheduled operators and airports involved in VIP/VVIP operations.
