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The AAIB has recommended tighter checks on pilot training records and simulator exercises across non-scheduled aviation operators (Img: VSR Website)
Mumbai: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has highlighted serious shortcomings in pilot training, maintenance records and internal audits at VSR Ventures while investigating a 2023 Learjet crash at Mumbai airport. The findings have renewed questions about aviation safety oversight following the fatal Learjet crash in Baramati that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others in January.
According to the report released on Friday, the Learjet 45XR, registered as VT-DBL, crashed while attempting to land on runway 27 at Mumbai airport on September 14, 2023. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled flight from Visakhapatnam. All eight people on board sustained serious injuries.
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Investigators identified the crew’s decision to continue an unstable approach in marginal weather conditions as the probable cause. Poor visibility due to rain, strong tailwinds and inadequate monitoring of airspeed contributed to the accident.
The report also noted that the monitoring pilot called for a go-around too late. The crew’s determination to land before operational restrictions took effect further contributed to the situation. Both engines were functioning normally, and investigators found no evidence that the aircraft’s serviceability caused the crash.
The AAIB found that recurrent training for some VSR Learjet pilots did not fully cover critical emergency procedures during the required annual cycle, including simulator exercises. Investigators also identified deficiencies in technical and airframe logbooks and found that the company had not conducted internal audits diligently.
Notably, DGCA audit and surveillance reports reviewed during the investigation did not reflect several shortcomings subsequently identified by the AAIB. The aviation regulator’s last audit of VSR, conducted in February 2025, reportedly recorded no Level-I findings, the most serious category.
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The AAIB has recommended a one-time verification of training records for fixed-wing pilots, particularly those working with non-scheduled and general aviation operators. It also called for mandatory stall-recovery training in landing configuration, stricter compliance with emergency exercises and clearer instructions requiring pilots to abandon unstable approaches.
The bureau further recommended improved crew resource management, stronger checklists and better maintenance documentation at VSR. It urged the DGCA to examine operators’ manuals and assess the effectiveness of their internal audit systems during inspections.
