The fatal plane crash near Baramati that claimed the life of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has brought VSR Aviation, the Delhi-based firm operating the aircraft, under intense scrutiny.
Responding to questions over the safety of the Bombardier Learjet 45, VSR Aviation chief VK Singh maintained that the aircraft was “absolutely fit” and blamed poor visibility for the tragic incident.
Singh said the final decision during landing rested entirely with the pilot, stating, “Neither you were there, nor was I. It was the pilot’s decision.”
According to Singh, the pilot attempted a missed approach after being unable to clearly see the runway. He described senior pilot Sumit Kapur as highly experienced, with nearly 16,000 flying hours, and said co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak had around 1,500 hours of experience.
Both pilots were among the five people killed in the crash, which has triggered nationwide mourning and a three-day state mourning in Maharashtra.
