Kamal Ghorui
BARAMATI/PUNE: New CCTV footage adds visual layer to eyewitness accounts of the crash that killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others, with the aircraft seen tilting sharply moments before impact—suggesting a loss of stability during its final descent near Baramati airport. Residents living around the elevated runway said the private jet appeared to struggle while attempting to land, circling once before banking aggressively and spiralling down.
CCTV visuals circulating on social media appear to corroborate these claims, showing the aircraft’s wings rolling to a steep angle as it rapidly lost altitude.“There was a huge fire in the air and smoke billowed. We ran towards the site. Within a few minutes, fire brigade vehicles came on the runway, but were unable to reach the crash site in the absence of a metallic road. The vehicles had to go around and take the non-metallic road leading to the spot. We didn’t know Ajitdada was on the plane. We learned about it after the bodies were taken out from the charred remains of the plane. The smell of gasoline spread across the area and lasted well past the afternoon,” said Anita Atole, a resident of Gojubavi village close to the runway. Gojubavi is about 12km from the Pawars’ hometown.Emergency responders reached the runway within minutes, but access to the crash site was delayed as fire engines had to take an uneven dirt track instead of a paved road. Another eyewitness, farmer Raghu Maruti Atole, said, “I was feeding the cattle near my house amid fog when I saw a small aircraft going towards the airstrip. Within a few minutes, it returned towards the landing side of the airstrip from the railway gate side. It was swaying and then there was a noise like a blast. I ran towards the airstrip, there were flames as high as 50 feet. Metal parts of the aircraft were scattered everywhere. Before I could call anyone or do something, I heard the sirens of the fire brigade vehicles.” Aviation experts said the footage—if verified—points to more than just poor visibility. One source said the sharp banking manoeuvre seen in the video could indicate a serious technical malfunction during the landing attempt. No distress call was issued by the crew. Initial assumptions had focused on fog and low visibility, especially since Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield where visibility is assessed visually rather than through advanced instrumentation. The runway’s elevated location further complicates approaches in marginal conditions, experts noted. The Learjet 45, a mid-sized business jet, requires precise handling during landing due to its high approach speed and narrow margin for error. “Any instability on final approach leaves very little time for corrective action,” said a senior test pilot familiar with such aircraft. According to official timelines, the jet contacted Baramati air traffic control at 8.18am, attempted a go-around after the crew reported the runway was not visible, and was later cleared to land after stating it was in sight. Moments after clearance, flames were spotted near the runway threshold. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a probe into the crash, which occurred around 8.45am. Apart from Pawar, those killed included two pilots, a flight attendant and a personal security officer.
