Pilot Lost Control Due To Dense Fog: What Initial Assessment Of Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash Suggests

Initial findings from top government sources suggested that dense fog might have been a key factor behind the aircraft crash, CNN-News18 has learned.

According to sources, preliminary inputs suggest that

the pilot may have pre-empted the runway due to extremely poor visibility and subsequently lost control of the aircraft while attempting to land.

The crash occurred at an airstrip operated by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), an uncontrolled airfield where traffic information is provided by instructors or pilots from flying training organisations operating at the location.

Officials also pointed to persistent fog conditions in the region, noting that even helicopters operated by the Western Naval Command have not been flying from the area for the past few days due to adverse weather.

What happened During Landing Attempt

On January 28, 2026, the aircraft VI-SSK first established contact with Baramati at 8:18 am IST. The next communication took place when the aircraft was 30 nautical miles inbound, after which it was released by Pune Approach and advised to descend under Visual Meteorological Conditions at the pilot’s discretion. When the crew enquired about wind and visibility, they were informed that winds were calm and visibility was around 3,000 metres.

The aircraft later reported being on final approach to Runway 11 but said the runway was not in sight, prompting the crew to initiate a go-around on the first attempt. After the go-around, the aircraft was asked to report its position, to which the crew again said it was on final approach for Runway 11.

Asked to report when the runway was in sight, the crew replied that it was not visible at that moment and that they would call once visual contact was established. A few seconds later, the crew reported that the runway was in sight.