Mumbai, Jan 29: The uncontrolled airfield at Baramati is facing renewed scrutiny following a documented history of aviation mishaps. Known primarily as a hub for pilot training, the facility has recorded
a troubling frequency of events, including two accidents and one serious incident within the last three years alone, adding to a legacy of safety concerns dating back over a decade.
Lack of ATC and training operations
The airfield, which lacks a dedicated Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower to manage active separation of aircraft, relies on pilots to coordinate movements via common radio frequencies.
The airfield is largely used by two flying training organisations (FTOs), including Carver Aviation and Red Bird Flight Training Academy, whose pilots and instructors also control the ATC operations for private aircraft landing on the small runway.
Incidents preceding Wednesday’s crash
A little over two years before Wednesday’s Learjet crash that killed Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, the airfield saw one major accident and one serious incident.
On October 19, 2023, a trainer aircraft, a Tecnam P2008JC registered as VT-RBC, experienced engine power loss at a height of 100 feet. The aircraft banked to the right, then turned abruptly to the left, followed by a loss of altitude and a crash just outside the Baramati airport fencing. The pilot, however, escaped with minor injuries.
Just three days later, another aircraft of the same model operated by the same FTO, registered as VT-RBT, also experienced engine power loss at an altitude of around 3,000 feet, at four nautical miles from the airport.
The preliminary report stated that after failing to restart the engine, the crew trimmed the aircraft for best glide speed to execute a forced landing in a field. The aircraft made an emergency landing, resulting in a topple after the nose wheel struck boulders. In this incident as well, both crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Pending investigation reports
Notably, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is yet to submit final reports in both these cases. The Free Press Journal had earlier reported that the AAIB has failed to submit final reports in eight accidents and seven serious incidents within the prescribed time of one year.
Earlier crash landing
Around 10 years before the 2023 incidents, Carver Aviation’s Cessna-172R aircraft, registered as VT-BUD, crash-landed at the same airstrip on June 29, 2023. The aircraft, flown by a trainee pilot, drifted to the right of the runway’s centreline and entered a kutcha surface, resulting in the aircraft’s nose getting stuck in soft ground and toppling upside down. The trainee pilot was rushed to hospital and declared medically fit.
The AAIB observed in its final report that Baramati airfield was not licensed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and recommended that the DGCA consider licensing airports where regular flying activities are carried out.
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Concerns over mixed usage
Although the airstrip is not used only by FTOs, with politicians and industrialists frequently flying to Baramati in private or chartered jets using the same runway. Notably, the airport lacks basic navigational aids for aircraft landing, which remains one of the biggest concerns for pilots flying in or out of the airfield.
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