New CCTV footage captures moment Ajit Pawar's plane crashed
According to a government statement, the aircraft initially attempted to land at Baramati airport but carried out a go-around due to poor visibility. After circling the area, the crew received clearance for a second landing attempt.
A new CCTV video of the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has surfaced, offering a chilling glimpse into the aircraft’s final moments. The footage shows the jet descending rapidly near a temple in Baramati, before it disappears from view. Seconds later, a massive fireball and thick smoke can be seen rising from the crash site.
The video captures the aircraft losing control mid-air, flipping and entering a free fall before slamming into the ground. Another CCTV clip that emerged earlier showed the jet crashing behind a small shop, followed almost instantly by a huge plume of smoke, indicating the intensity of the impact.
Who was on board
The chartered Learjet was carrying five people, all of whom died in the crash:
- Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister
- Captain Sumit Kapoor, senior pilot with over 15,000 flying hours
- Co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, with 1,500 flying hours
- Vidip Jadhav, Personal Security Officer
- Pinky Mali, flight attendant
The aircraft had departed from Mumbai on Wednesday morning, with Pawar heading to Pune district to address four rallies ahead of the February 5 zilla parishad elections.
What happened before the crash
According to a government statement, the aircraft initially attempted to land at Baramati airport but carried out a go-around due to poor visibility. After circling the area, the crew received clearance for a second landing attempt. Moments later, the aircraft burst into flames near the runway edge.
Officials noted that after receiving clearance, the crew did not provide a readback to Air Traffic Control a crucial step where pilots repeat instructions to confirm they have understood them correctly. A go-around is a routine safety procedure used when landing conditions are unsafe and is not considered an emergency.
A readback, meanwhile, is a vital communication step that ensures pilots and controllers are aligned, reducing the risk of misunderstanding during critical phases of flight. The crash occurred during the jet’s second landing attempt at Baramati, which is an uncontrolled airfield. Unlike major airports, such airfields do not have a dedicated ATC tower and rely on flight information shared by pilots and instructors from nearby flying schools.
Black box to reveal answers
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Officials said the aircraft’s black box, including the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, will be analysed after recovery to piece together what went wrong in the final moments. Residents living near the airport recalled a terrifying scene. They said the aircraft was seen circling repeatedly, appeared unstable, and then exploded on impact, sending debris and flames into the air.