The aircraft accident claimed the lives of five people including Pawar on the morning of Wednesday, January 28.
According to the ministry, the recovery of the flight data recorder marks a significant development in the investigation being conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
A Black Box records key flight parameters and cockpit audio, and is critical in reconstructing the sequence of events leading up to an aviation accident.
AAIB investigation underway
The Civil Aviation Ministry said the AAIB inquiry into the crash is moving swiftly.
"The investigation is progressing expeditiously, and the Black Box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered," the ministry said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Read more: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Live Updates
AAIB, which functions under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is responsible for probing all aircraft accidents and serious incidents involving planes weighing more than 2,250 kg or those powered by turbojet engines.
The bureau was formally tasked with investigating the crash on January 28.
Details of the fatal crash
The Learjet 45 aircraft crashed during its second attempt to land at the Baramati table-top airstrip.
Five people were on board at the time of the accident — Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer and attendant, and two members of the cockpit crew.
The cockpit crew comprised pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak. The aircraft was operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, according to information shared by the ministry.
Immediate response and site inspection
Following the accident, multiple investigative teams were dispatched to the crash site.
A three-member team from AAIB headquarters in Delhi and another three officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s Mumbai Regional Office reached Baramati on January 28.
The Director General of AAIB also visited the site on the same day.
"Ensuring a thorough, transparent, and time-bound inquiry remains a top priority," the ministry said, adding that all necessary response and investigative mechanisms were activated immediately after the crash.
The findings from the Black Box analysis are expected to play a key role in determining the cause of the accident.
