Learjet 45 crashes during landing at Baramati, India, killing all five on board

A Learjet 45XR (reg. VT-SSK) operated by VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. crashed during the landing phase at Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning, killing all five occupants, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The aircraft was operating a Mumbai–Baramati charter flight and went down at approximately 08:44 IST.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the crew had initially executed a go-around after failing to sight the runway. On the second approach, they reported the runway in sight and were cleared to land, but no landing clearance readback was received. Air traffic personnel at the uncontrolled airfield then observed flames near the threshold of Runway 11. The wreckage was later found to the left of the runway, abeam the threshold.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken charge of the investigation, with its Director General travelling to the site to lead the inquiry. The aircraft, manufactured in 2010, was airworthy with valid certification and had logged 4,915 flight hours. Both pilots were properly licensed and experienced. Further details will be released as the investigation progresses.