Ajit Pawar plane crash: Baramati airfield lacks facilities, security, says AAIB report

Mumbai: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is investigating the Learjet crash at the Baramati airport in Pune district, has pointed at lack of facilities like modern meteorological aids, basic fire-fighting unit and perimeter security in the airfield. 

The 28 January 2026 plane crash claimed four lives: the then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapur, the Pilot‑in‑Command (PIC), Captain Sambhavi Pathak, the Second-in-Command (SIC), Pinky Mali, the Flight Attendant; and Vidhit Jadhav, a Mumbai Police Constable who was the politician's Personal Security Officer. 

In its 22-page report, the AAIB pointed out several issues pertaining to the Baramati airport, which is used for flying training operations and VIP flights. The airfield is an uncontrolled airfield managed and maintained by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited (MADC), the aerodrome operator. 

The airfield is primarily used for flying training operations with two flying training organisations (FTOs) having their base at Baramati - Carver Aviation Pvt Ltd and  Redbird Flying Training Academy Pvt Ltd.

However, Non-scheduled operations, especially chartered/VIP flights, are also carried out at Baramati regularly.

There are two temporary Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers each operated and maintained by the respective organisations.

The ATC is handled by the respective students/instructors of the FTOs with handheld RT, which again is primarily used for assisting flying training operations. 

However, the non-scheduled/chartered flights including VIP flights are also handled by either of the two towers manned only by their instructors/students.

The aerodrome has one runway (RWY) with orientation 11/29. “Two windsocks have been installed at the aerodrome, both towards the RWY 29 side. No windsock was available towards the RWY 11 side, which is table-top end,” the report points out. 

The Baramati airport does not have an in-house Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit, hence, based on request from non-scheduled operators/ charter flights, ambulance and firefighting service are provided by Baramati Municipal Corporation on the request made by the aerodrome operator.

“The last runway re-carpeting was carried out in March 2016 and thereafter no re-carpeting was done, which resulted in the fading of all runway markings and the presence of loose gravel on the runway surface,” the AAIB stated. 

Though only Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations can be carried out regular flying training operations and non-scheduled operations are conducted at the airport.

“There is no boundary wall around the aerodrome. The available fencing is not adequate and does not cover the entire aerodrome,” the report points out.