Ajit Pawar plane crash: Black Box recovered from Baramati, sent to DGCA for investigation

The black box from the plane that crashed in Baramati on January 28, claiming the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has been recovered by local authorities, CNN News18 reported.

The chartered flight, travelling from Mumbai to Baramati, went down at approximately 8:45 am on Wednesday, killing all five people on board. The victims included Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two crew members, including the pilot, Vidip Jadhav.

ANI reported, citing the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), that the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been recovered from the charter plane crash landed in Baramati.

The black box, found at the rear of the aircraft, will now be handed over to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for further investigation, the report said. This recording device helps investigators reconstruct the events leading up to an accident.

As part of the crash investigation, officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) visited the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, the operator of the ill-fated charter plane, and were seen loading boxes of documents into vehicles, ANI reported. The team collected airframe and engine logbooks, work orders, onboard documents, and major inspection records for detailed examination.

Investigators have also requested information from the DGCA concerning the aircraft and crew. Additionally, radar data, CCTV footage, air traffic control recordings, and hotline communications will be analysed as part of the probe.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections.

"The exact cause of the incident can only be identified after the investigation and black box data findings. The weather conditions and the control system error. The aviation industry is the safest compared to road and water transport....High-profile cases become news. Ajit Pawar's death is a big loss for the country....90% of cases happen due to human error or system failures, which are also potential reasons, and weather is also an area of concern," he said.

Aviation expert Diptesh Chaudhary also cited low visibility and possible runway misalignment during the final approach as potential causes.

"... There could be several reasons for the crash. As I was told, the visibility was low. Pune's visibility was approximately 2,500 meters, and in Baramati, it would have been lower. So low visibility could be one, and the other is when the Aircraft came to its final approach, it was slightly at a lower height than usual. It is possible that the aircraft could not align with the runway at its final approach," he said.

He was known among the people as "Ajit Dada" because of his tireless striving for the people of Maharashtra and his ability to stay connected to the people and the soil.

In addition to making significant contributions to government administration, Pawar oversaw the management of various cooperative organisations, including Milk Unions and Federations and sugar factories.

Ajit Pawar was famed for his straightforward approach and frankness. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

(With inputs from agencies)