Aviation experts cite visibility, technical issues in Baramati plane crash

Aviation experts have pointed to poor visibility, possible emergency declaration and technical issues as potential factors in the Baramati plane crash. The DGCA has launched a detailed probe to determine the exact cause of the accident

New Delhi: Aviation experts have begun weighing in on the circumstances surrounding the tragic plane crash near Baramati, which claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, two pilots and other passengers, even as investigators await concrete evidence from official probes.

Aviation expert and former Air India pilot, Minoo Wadia, pointed to visibility challenges and a possible emergency declaration by the pilot during the landing attempt.

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He said, “This crash occurred at Baramati, and the visibility was reported to be poor. The pilot attempted a go-around. On the first attempt, he did not land. On the second attempt, the aircraft appears to have landed and then crashed. What could have happened? We need to wait for more evidence to emerge. At the moment, it seems the pilot declared an emergency. Why did he declare it? Was there an engine failure? Even if one engine had failed, there would be no reason for the aircraft to crash, as the pilot could have flown and landed the aircraft safely on a single engine. There are also reports of issues with the undercarriage; this aircraft has a history of undercarriage problems.”

In a separate assessment, Wadia clarified that while visibility may have played a role, it may not have been the sole factor. He said, “Yes, visibility does have an effect, but first of all, there was no fog at Baramati this morning, and it was not very early in the morning. It was around nine o’clock, or a quarter to nine. From the pictures, we can see that the visibility was not very good, but it probably wasn’t the reason this aircraft crashed.”

Another aviation expert, Surjit Panesar, expressed grief over the loss of lives and emphasised the human cost of the tragedy. He said, “It is a very sad and painful matter that one of our senior political leaders, along with pilots and passengers, has lost their lives. At this moment, all we can do is pray to God to bless their souls with peace and to give strength to the families left behind so that they can bear this loss. We also pray for the country, which has suffered such an important political loss.”

Panesar also highlighted the role of Air Traffic Control and meteorological updates during landing operations. He said, “Whatever was happening, weather, clouds, fog was coming, visibility was poor, this is also the job of ATC. There would be an office there to provide information. Their job is to inform the pilot minute by minute about the weather: That clouds are approaching, it’s raining, visibility is decreasing, etc. The pilot can also see some of this from the runway…”

The aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport around 9 a.m., shortly after departing from Mumbai. All passengers and crew onboard were killed in the accident.

Emergency services, local authorities, and aviation officials rushed to the site, where visuals showed smoke, fire, and a mangled wreckage.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, examining weather conditions, technical aspects, and flight operations.

More details are awaited as the probe continues.