Hyderabad: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the plane crash at Baramati airport that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday, PTI reported.
The Learjet 46, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crash-landed at the airport. There were five people onboard, including the crew members, according to the aviation regulator DGCA.
A senior official told PTI that the AAIB will be visiting the crash site and it will be investigating the accident.
AAIB is responsible for classifying safety occurrences involving aircraft operating in Indian airspace as accidents, serious incidents, or incidents. It carries out detailed investigations into accidents and also suggests measures to improve safety.
Former Flight Operations Inspector of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Prashant Dhalla, said that aircraft accidents can occur due to multiple reasons and that it would be premature to draw conclusions before the investigation is completed. He, however, pointed out that the Learjet 45 is considered a safe aircraft, and the pilots were very senior, IANS reported.
Dhalla stated that factors such as human error, pilot error, technical faults in the aircraft systems, or adverse weather conditions could contribute to a crash. He emphasised that only a detailed investigation would be able to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Speaking to IANS, Prashant Dhalla said, “Firstly, I pray to God for the peace of the departed soul, as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra has passed away in this tragic incident. With regard to the technical details, the aircraft had departed from Mumbai for Baramati Airport. It was a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures, a reputed operator, and many people have travelled on this aircraft earlier.”