New Delhi: A month after a plane crash near Baramati claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, aviation authorities have grounded four aircraft operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. The action follows a special safety audit conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in the aftermath of the accident.
The regulator reported multiple deviations from approved procedures within the company’s operations. The audit identified shortcomings in airworthiness standards, flight safety oversight, and operational practices. Citing gaps in maintenance processes and procedural compliance, the DGCA directed immediate corrective measures.
As part of the order, four Learjet 40 and 45 aircraft bearing registrations VT VRA, VT VRS, VT VRV and VT TRI have been grounded until required airworthiness standards are fully restored. The regulator has also issued deficiency reporting forms to the operator, seeking a detailed root cause analysis of the lapses identified during the inspection. Further regulatory review will follow based on the company’s response.
The crash occurred on 28 January when a Learjet 45, registered as VT SSK, went down while attempting to land near the Baramati airstrip. The aircraft had departed from Mumbai and was carrying five people, including Pawar and security personnel.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the technical probe into the incident. Investigators confirmed that both the digital flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were exposed to severe heat and fire damage. While data from the flight data recorder has been successfully retrieved in India, the cockpit voice recorder sustained extensive damage. To recover critical audio evidence, assistance has been sought from the National Transportation Safety Board under international investigation protocols.
The aircraft operator has previously maintained that there was no technical fault with the aircraft, even as scrutiny over compliance and operational standards continues.
