Learjet 45 is a safe aircraft, probe will reveal cause of crash: Ex-DGCA official

Former DGCA Flight Operations Inspector Prashant Dhalla said it is too early to draw conclusions on the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, adding that several factors could be involved and only a detailed investigation will reveal the cause

New Delhi: Following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Wednesday morning, former Flight Operations Inspector of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Prashant Dhalla, said that aircraft accidents can occur due to multiple reasons and that it would be premature to draw conclusions before the investigation is completed. He however, pointed out that the Learjet 45 is considered a safe aircraft, and the pilots were very senior.

Dhalla stated that factors such as human error, pilot error, technical faults in the aircraft systems, or adverse weather conditions could contribute to a crash. He emphasised that only a detailed investigation would be able to determine the exact cause of the incident.

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Speaking to IANS, Prashant Dhalla said, “Firstly, I pray to God for the peace of the departed soul, as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra has passed away in this tragic incident. With regard to the technical details, the aircraft had departed from Mumbai for Baramati Airport. It was a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures, a reputed operator, and many people have travelled on this aircraft earlier.”

He further said that the aircraft was being flown by highly experienced crew members.

“There was a very senior Captain Kapoor on board, along with his co-pilot, Captain Pathak. Both were highly experienced pilots who unfortunately lost their lives in the crash,” Dhalla said.

Addressing reports related to weather conditions, Dhalla clarified that visibility at the time of the incident was reportedly more than 2,000 metres.

“At this stage, it would be too early to attribute the crash to low visibility. As per the information available, the aircraft had attempted a missed approach. This means the plane initially tried to land on the runway but, due to some difficulty, aborted the landing and climbed again to attempt another approach. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the aircraft crashed,” he explained.

Dhalla reiterated that several variables must be examined before reaching any conclusion.

“When a crash occurs, there can be multiple contributing factors, including human error, technical issues in some part of the aircraft system, or weather-related challenges,” he said.

He also noted that Baramati airport has a sufficiently long runway and is frequently used by flying clubs and private chartered aircraft.

“An investigation will determine what exactly went wrong. It is too early to say anything definitively. The Learjet 45 is considered a safe aircraft, and the pilots were very senior. What happened is extremely unfortunate and deeply saddening,” Dhalla added.