New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Tuesday said that it is conducting a detailed and comprehensive probe into the Learjet 45 aircraft crash at Baramati on January 28, in full compliance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 and international standards laid down under ICAO Annex 13.
The accident had claimed six lives, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, after the aircraft crashed while landing near Baramati.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier confirmed that all six people on board the aircraft died in the crash.
In its latest update, the AAIB said the aircraft was fitted with two independent flight recorders.
Both devices were exposed to intense heat and sustained significant fire damage due to the accident.
Despite the damage, the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), manufactured by L3-Communications, has been successfully downloaded at the AAIB’s Flight Recorder Laboratory.
The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), manufactured by Honeywell, is currently undergoing a detailed technical examination.
The Bureau has sought assistance from the Accredited Representative of the State of Manufacture for specialised support to retrieve data from the damaged recorder.
The AAIB emphasised that it is following all prescribed technical and procedural protocols to ensure that the investigation remains objective, thorough and based strictly on evidence.
It reiterated its commitment to transparency and said that further details will be shared at an appropriate stage of the probe.
The Bureau has also urged all stakeholders and the public to refrain from speculation and allow the investigation to proceed as per established procedures.
The crash took place around 9 a.m., nearly an hour after the aircraft had taken off from Mumbai.
Visuals from the site had shown thick smoke and flames rising from the mangled remains of the plane, with ambulances and rescue teams rushing to the spot.
Locals were seen trying to help in rescue efforts before emergency services arrived.
Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public meeting amid ongoing Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections when the aircraft reportedly lost control during the landing phase.
Senior security officials and rescue teams were deployed immediately after the crash.
Three bodies were initially taken to Baramati Medical College, and identification procedures were carried out under the supervision of the Pune Superintendent of Police.
(IANS)
