The AAIB’s early report on the fatal Baramati plane incident, which took Ajit Pawar’s life along with four others on January 28, was handed over today. Drawing from nascent probe stages, it stresses the fluid nature of these insights, prohibiting premature judgments.
True to ICAO and national guidelines, the investigation prioritizes accident prevention over culpability. Seasoned pilots, well-versed in Baramati’s terrain from past flights, had rich histories in VIP and uncontrolled airfield ops per company logs.
A key revelation: Pre-flight breath tests by an onboard paramedic yielded negative results for both, backed by video and documentation. Yet, subpar visibility of 3,000 meters fell short of VFR’s 5,000-meter mandate at the site.
Among safety advisories, AAIB pushes for rigorous small airfield supervision, license reevaluations, and swift enhancements in landing aids and meteorology setups. Ongoing efforts include CVR data extraction with NTSB aid.
As political and public scrutiny intensifies, this report sets the stage for systemic changes, underscoring the perils of operating in marginal weather at under-equipped fields. Stakeholders await the conclusive analysis for lasting reforms.