Learn about VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, the owner of the Learjet 45 that crashed in Baramati killing Ajit Pawar and five others, and its previous aircraft incident history.
This Baramati crash is not the first serious incident involving a VSR Ventures-linked Learjet. (File Photo)
A Learjet 45 business jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others crashed while attempting to land at Baramati Airport early Wednesday morning. The aircraft, operating from Mumbai to Baramati for a planned political event, went down near the runway threshold and burst into flames, killing everyone on board. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed there were no survivors.
Visuals and eyewitness accounts from the site showed the wreckage amid fire and smoke, with emergency responders trying to secure the area.
The Learjet 45 involved in the crash was owned and operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, a Delhi-based private aviation company. Official reports and early confirmations indicate that Vijay Kumar Singh is a principal figure behind VSR Ventures, leading operations alongside Rohit Singh.
VSR Ventures operates a fleet of aircraft, offering charter services, medivac operations, private jet leasing, and empty-leg flights across major Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bhopal. The company has been in business for over 15 years and claims to employ more than 60 pilots with high customer satisfaction rates.
VSR officials described the crashed aircraft as “100% safe” and noted that the crew was fairly experienced, although they acknowledged that weather conditions or other factors could have played a role; conclusions await the DGCA inquiry.
According to DGCA and official sources, the five people onboard included:
The flight was en route from Mumbai to Baramati ahead of political events linked to the upcoming local elections.
The Learjet 45 is a twin-engine light business jet, widely used for corporate and VIP travel because of its speed, efficiency, and capability to operate on short and medium sectors, including smaller regional airports like Baramati.
Despite the aircraft’s reputation and safety profile, this tragedy highlights how even well-maintained light jets can face catastrophic issues during critical phases such as landing.
This Baramati crash is not the first serious incident involving a VSR Ventures-linked Learjet. On 14 September 2023, another Learjet 45XR, registered as VT-DBL, skidded off the runway at Mumbai Airport during heavy rain and reduced visibility. Although no deaths occurred, all eight people on board were injured, and the fuselage broke into two pieces.
Investigators found that the aircraft drifted off course after the autopilot was disconnected and several cockpit warnings—including stall and terrain alerts—were activated before landing.
The recurrence of a serious event involving the same operator and aircraft model has added to scrutiny from aviation regulators and safety analysts, and will almost certainly be a focus of the upcoming DGCA investigation.
The DGCA has launched a formal inquiry into the Baramati crash, and investigators are likely to recover flight data recorders, cockpit voice recorders, and other evidence to understand the final moments of the flight.
They will study factors such as crew communication, aircraft systems, weather conditions, visibility, and possible technical problems to determine what led to the fatal landing attempt.
Findings from this investigation will be crucial in shaping future safety recommendations for light business jets operating in India, especially at smaller airports where weather and runway conditions can vary.
The tragic loss of Ajit Pawar, a key political figure in Maharashtra, has reverberated across the state, with leaders and citizens expressing deep sorrow. Political and administrative responses are shaping up as the state mourns the sudden and unexpected loss of one of its senior leaders.
Further updates are expected as authorities release more details from the crash site and the DGCA investigation gets underway.
