The tragic crash of a chartered aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has sparked serious questions over aviation safety norms, after it emerged that the plane may have narrowly missed being equipped with a crucial satellite-based navigation system due to a regulatory cut-off missed by just 28 days.
Initial scrutiny of the aircraft’s registration details indicates that the 16-year-old Learjet was likely not fitted with India’s satellite-based approach guidance system, GAGAN, as its registration predated the mandate making the technology compulsory. While the aircraft met all legal requirements at the time, experts suggest it may have lacked advanced navigation support that could have assisted pilots during low-visibility conditions.
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On Wednesday morning, the aircraft crashed nearly 100 metres short of the tabletop runway at Baramati airport in Pune district. Officials said the jet burst into flames during a second attempt to land amid poor visibility, killing Pawar and four others on board.
The death of the 66-year-old leader, fondly known as “Dada” in Maharashtra’s political circles, has sent shockwaves through the BJP-led coalition government and cast uncertainty over the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which he led. The incident has also reignited debate on the timely implementation of advanced aviation safety systems, particularly at smaller regional airports.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
