Overview
- India’s air-crash investigator released a 22-page preliminary report citing about 3 km visibility—below the 5 km VFR minimum—at Baramati, which lacked instrument landing and certified meteorological facilities and used a temporary tower staffed by a flight-training instructor.
- The report says the Learjet 45 struck a tree before crashing near the runway; raw flight‑data (SSFDR) has been downloaded and the heat-damaged cockpit voice recorder is being sent to the U.S. NTSB for recovery.
- AAIB recommends that DGCA order strict adherence to VFR SOPs at uncontrolled fields, upgrade landing aids and basic MET services, and review licensing of such aerodromes.
- Maharashtra CID says it is examining sabotage and criminal negligence possibilities and will register a case if a criminal angle emerges, incorporating AAIB findings into its probe.
- Pressure for accountability continues as Rohit Pawar seeks FIRs and greater transparency, even as DGCA has already grounded four VSR Ventures aircraft following a special audit.