Visibility was poor when plane carrying Ajit Pawar crashed: Naidu

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said on Wednesday that preliminary inputs indicate poor visibility at Baramati airport at the time the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crash-landed."Teams from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) have arrived to carry out a probe into the accident. Preliminary information suggests that visibility was poor at the time the aircraft was attempting to land," Naidu said. Naidu added, "We are seeking more details and will conduct the investigation in a transparent manner."

#WATCH | Pune | On Maha Dy CM Ajit Pawar's demise in a plane crash, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu says," We will conduct an investigation in a transparent and accountable manner. Preliminary information indicates that visibility was poor at the site… pic.twitter.com/qPs0k6hQH7

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

Visuals from the spot showed fire and smoke and the mangled remains of the plane, as emergency services personnel and horrified locals gathered, each trying to process the unreal event and help. Shortly afterwards came the confirmation – all five on board had died.

CCTV footage from outside Baramati Airport reveals the devastating moment Ajit Pawar’s plane crashed near the runway followed by thick plumes of smoke as the Learjet 45 burst into flames.
Video source:- social media #AjitPawarPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/hTYaearg4B

— AARITRA GHOSH (@JournoAaritra) January 28, 2026

The ill-fated aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar appeared "a bit unstable in the air" and exploded the moment it crashed on the ground near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning, according to a woman eyewitness. Another person who witnessed the incident said that after the crash, the aircraft burst into flames, followed by four to five consecutive blasts. Pawar (66) and four other persons were killed after their aircraft crashed near Baramati at 8.50 am, as per officials.
The woman said she noticed the aircraft in the morning as it circled the Baramati airport. "It took a round in the air, appeared a bit unstable and as it was approaching the runway to land, it hit the ground hard and exploded. There was a loud sound and could be heard at our home," the woman told a news channel. She said several parts of the aircraft were hurled into the air after the explosion and fell near her house. "The plane tilted before coming down. We saw the explosion and it was frightening," she said.
Another eyewitness also said the aircraft appeared to be losing control as it descended. "The way the plane was coming down, we felt it was going to crash. It was around 100 feet above the runway. As we rushed towards it, we saw flames, followed by four to five consecutive blasts, which prevented us from going anywhere near the aircraft," he told reporters.
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. Captain Shambhavi Pathak, pilot of Ajit Pawar's plane, dies in Baramati plane crash. Superintendent of Police, Sandip Singh Gill, said that after the crash, there was a fire. "People onboard were immediately taken to the hospital," he added.