AAIB forms special panel to investigate Baramati Plane Crash

A special AAIB team has been sent to investigate the Baramati plane crash as authorities work to determine the exact cause.

Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: A special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been constituted to probe the aircraft crash in Baramati that reportedly claimed the lives of five people, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and members of the crew.

As part of the investigation, the AAIB team will recover and analyse key technical components, including the flight data recorder, the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and the Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES). Investigators will also examine airframe and engine logbooks, maintenance records, work orders, and other on-board documents obtained from the aircraft operator.

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Officials said the probe team has sought documents from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) related to both the aircraft and the crew. Radar data, CCTV footage from the vicinity, air traffic control recordings and hotline communications will also be reviewed. Statements of witnesses and relevant personnel will be recorded during the course of the investigation.

According to reports, Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati when the chartered aircraft met with the accident earlier on Wednesday. He had been in Mumbai a day earlier to attend a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Following the reported incident, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Addressing the media in Mumbai, he said a decision on Pawar’s last rites would be taken after discussions with the family.

Ajit Pawar, 66, nephew of veteran leader and NCP founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms. He held the post six times under different governments, including those led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and his two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

(With inputs from ANI)