Five individuals, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and NCP leader, tragically died in a plane crash near Baramati airport Wednesday morning. The chartered Learjet 45 private jet, carrying the officials, crashed approximately 100 feet short of the runway shortly after 8:46 am.
The aircraft had departed Mumbai at 8:10 am, with an expected landing time around 8:55 am. However, the crash occurred before the plane could reach the runway, ending all five lives onboard.
According to authorities, the plane ceased transmitting ADS-B radio signals—routine location and speed data—at 8:34 am, just 12 minutes before the crash. CCTV footage near the airport confirmed the crash site, and a Civil Aviation Ministry statement outlined the sequence of events leading up to the tragedy.
One alarming detail from the investigation is that the pilot reportedly did not provide a ‘readback’ of the landing clearance—a standard safety protocol where the pilot repeats back instructions from air traffic control (ATC) to confirm understanding.
What is ‘Readback’?
‘Readback’ is a fundamental safety procedure in aviation, where pilots repeat to ATC the instructions they receive—such as route clearances, landing permissions, and altitude changes—to ensure accurate communication. This process helps prevent miscommunication during critical phases like landing, especially when multiple instructions are involved.
According to SKYbrary, an aviation safety resource, ‘readback’ involves the pilot confirming receipt of instructions related to route clearances, airspace entry, runway use, and other flight movements. Any deviation or omission can lead to dangerous misunderstandings, as appears to be the case here.
Why is ‘Readback’ Critical?
The safety of flight operations heavily relies on effective communication. During landing, ‘readback’ ensures the pilot and ATC are synchronized on vital information such as runway assignment, weather conditions, and traffic. Failure to complete this step can result in misinterpretation of instructions, increasing the risk of accidents.
The Civil Aviation Ministry noted that the pilot, Captain Shambhavi Pathak—trained in New Zealand with additional simulation training from Jordan—failed to provide this essential readback. This omission raises concerns about the communication protocols that might have contributed to the crash.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft, owned by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, a Delhi-based non-scheduled air operator, established contact with Baramati airport at 8:18 am. The flight was on schedule, but moments before the crash, routine communication and signals were disrupted.
Authorities continue to investigate the precise causes of the accident, emphasizing the importance of strict adherence to communication protocols to prevent future tragedies.
