Pune: The black box (Flight Data Recorder) recovered from the aircraft crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life has been secured by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the black box is safe, and extracting and decoding its data may take around three weeks.
Flight Timeline and Accident Details
Ajit Pawar was travelling by a private aircraft to Baramati on Wednesday morning in connection with district council and panchayat committee elections. The aircraft departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 8:10 am and was expected to land at Baramati around 8:40 am.
Due to heavy morning fog, the pilot could not clearly assess the runway and attempted a “go-around.” During this time, the pilot contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Pune Airport. Within minutes, at approximately 8:43 am, the aircraft crashed. As per the DGCA, the aircraft exploded before rescue operations could begin.
Investigation Status
Teams from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation—three officials from each—reached the crash site on Wednesday. AAIB Director General G. V. G. Yugandhar also visited the site the same day. After extensive efforts, investigators safely recovered aircraft debris, critical components, and the black box.
What the Black Box Will Reveal
The black box contains crucial information about the aircraft’s final moments, including flight parameters and cockpit voice recordings. Investigators will analyse:
- Possible human error
- Technical or mechanical failure
- Weather conditions
- Bird hit or external impact
- Communication between the pilot and ATC
The pilot–ATC conversation, recorded in technical coded format, will be decoded into readable language. Officials said this process may take up to three weeks, after which the exact cause of the crash is expected to be established.
Legal Framework and Government Assurance
The probe is being conducted under Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu assured that once the investigation is complete, stronger safety measures and standards will be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.
