After News18 Report Following Ajit Pawar's Death, AAIB Says 2023 Learjet Crash Probe In ‘Final Stages’

Days after a News18 report flagged delays in aviation mishap probes, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has issued a clarification on the September 14, 2023, Learjet 45 crash at Mumbai airport, asserting that the final investigation report is nearing completion.

The Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-DBL), operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, had met with a serious accident while landing at Mumbai after departing from Visakhapatnam. During the landing on Runway 27, the aircraft drifted continuously to the right before crash-landing at the shoulder near the intersection of Taxiways W and N. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact.

Significantly, it was the investigation that did not result in a public final report. VSR Ventures is the same operator

whose aircraft crashed at Baramati, killing Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday. The 2023 Learjet crash was categorised as a “serious” incident in the preliminary report by the AAIB.

Out of 123 “serious” aviation incidents recorded in India, the AAIB said it completed investigations into 108 cases and published 107 final investigation reports, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s last published Annual Report 2024-25. The report was published in March 2025.

The clarification follows a broader spotlight on the AAIB’s investigation timelines, after News18 reported that it was the only pending report among 108 investigations AAIB completed. The final report was not published despite international norms emphasising timely dissemination of safety findings.

There were eight occupants on board, including two crew members and six passengers. The co-pilot sustained serious injuries, while the pilot-in-command and all passengers suffered minor injuries. According to the AAIB statement, the investigation faced initial constraints as the co-pilot could not be interviewed for a prolonged period due to the severity of his injuries.

In its statement, the AAIB said a detailed preliminary report had already been prepared and published on its website, incorporating initial findings from the flight recorders. The bureau emphasised that all available evidence and relevant documentation have since been analysed and that the investigation is now in its final stages.

“The investigation team is trying their best to finalise the report on top priority,” the AAIB said, responding to concerns raised over the time taken to close the probe.

The Learjet crash is among the most serious runway excursion incidents at a major Indian airport in recent years, making the final report significant from a safety standpoint. Final investigation reports are expected to clearly establish causal factors, contributing circumstances, and safety recommendations aimed at preventing recurrence.

While the AAIB maintains that procedural and medical constraints contributed to the duration of the probe, the continued absence of a final report without a clarification earlier, and for over a year after the accident, has renewed questions, even as the bureau insists the process is now close to completion.