An aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar and four others, including two crew members crash landed at Baramati airport in the Pune district, killing all five persons on board on Wednesday.
Pawar was travelling to Baramati from Mumbai to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the February 5 zilla parishad elections in the state. There were five people on board when the aircraft crashed at 8.50 am, a police official said. According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am, and it disappeared from the radar around 8.45 am.
Aircraft Type: Learjet 45XR
- Type Code: LJ45
- Aircraft registration: VT-SSK
- Operator: VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd
- Mode S - 80143D
Learjet 45 aircraft linked to 200 accidents globally
The chartered aircraft in which Ajit Pawar was travelling was a Learjet 45, a well-known business jet in the charter aviation segment. Although production of the Learjet series was discontinued in 2021, the aircraft continues to be widely operated, with servicing and maintenance support still in place. Globally, around 200 accidents have been linked to Learjet aircraft, yet the model remains a popular choice for charter operations.
Learjet, founded in 1960 by Canadian businessman William Powell Lear, is a globally recognised name in business aviation. The Learjet 45 is owned by Bombardier Aerospace of Canada and typically has a seating capacity of six to eight passengers.
In terms of performance, the Learjet 45 has a top speed of around 860 kmph, with a similar cruising speed. It offers a range of approximately 1,900 to 2,200 nautical miles (about 3,500 to 4,000 km). The aircraft is known for its strong climb performance and can reach an altitude of 41,000 feet within 18 to 20 minutes.
Designed for flexibility, the Learjet 45 is considered suitable for take-offs and landings on relatively short runways. The cabin has an interior height of about six feet and is equipped with modern amenities, including Wi-Fi and satellite phone connectivity.
The aircraft is powered by twin turbofan engines manufactured by Canada-based Pratt & Whitney, making it relatively fuel-efficient. It also features digital flight controls, which are designed to enhance navigation and overall flight safety.
September 2023 Crash
On September 14, 2023, a Learjet 45XR owned and operated by VSR Ventures crashed while landing at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport amid heavy rainfall and poor visibility.
The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai. It was being flown by a Pilot in Command holding an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), along with a co-pilot holding a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). Six passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, the registered legal entity of VSR Aviation, is a New Delhi–based non-scheduled air transport operator that specialises in private jet charters, medical evacuation services and aviation consultancy. The VT-SSK Learjet 45XR involved in the crash was developed in the 1990s as a competitor to the Cessna Citation Excel in the “super-light” business jet category.
