Training plane skids while landing at Baramati, where Ajit Pawar died in crash

A training aircraft operated by a private company crash-landed near the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday, police said. A trainer aircraft of a private company near the Baramati airstrip in Maharashtra's Pune district, after a mishap during landing.

(Video Grab via PTI)The mishap occurred around 12:30 pm, it is learnt. This comes seven months after the then Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP was killed in a crash during a landing attempt at the Baramati airstrip.

What Happened

We are investigating whether the aircraft developed a technical snag or if there were any other problems. Pune SP Sandip Singh Gill gave some more details, saying the plane skidded while landing.

• The company said it has launched an investigation into the incident.

• That aircraft belonged to the Redbird Flight Training Academy, which operates near the Baramati airstrip.

• A trainee pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, escaped safely following the incident, which occurred near Gojubavi village adjacent to the Baramati airstrip area at 8:50 am, officials said.

Key Details

No serious injuries have been reported to the two occupants of the Cessna 172 plane (VT SEX) that belonged to a company called Carver Aviation, HT learnt.

• A trainer aircraft of another private company had crashed near the Baramati airstrip on May 13 too.

• That private charter plane belonged to another company, VSR Ventures.

• The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to submit its final report by January next year.

Why It Matters

The victims included, besides the NCP leader, his security officer and an attendant, plus two crew members (pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak).

• At the same airstrip, in January, Ajit Pawar and four others were killed as their Learjet 45 aircraft crashed in what was the second attempt at landing.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by Hindustan Times as more details emerge