Saturday brought the AAIB’s interim report on the Baramati crash that ended Ajit Pawar and four others’ lives on January 28. This preliminary overview, rooted in initial facts and evidence, cautions against firm conclusions amid evolving data.
Per global ICAO Annex 13 and Indian rules, probes like this seek to avert repeats, eschewing blame games. The duo at the controls were no novices—familiar with Baramati from prior sorties, with logs showing prowess in VIP runs on similar venues.
Breath analyzer checks pre-takeoff, done by a medic aboard, cleared both pilots, as videos and slips attest. Critically, though, visibility hovered at 3,000 meters, shy of VFR’s 5,000-meter benchmark.
Interim measures recommended: Heightened scrutiny for minor airfields, licensing reviews, and rapid infrastructure boosts for landings and weather monitoring. CVR download looms, with US NTSB support.
The tragedy amplifies concerns over lax standards at secondary airstrips, fueling advocacy for stringent checks and tech upgrades. Final revelations from the probe could reshape aviation safety nationwide.