KEY POINT
- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a charter plane crash along with four others.
- The aircraft was en route for election related travel when it went down.
- Indian aviation authorities have launched a formal investigation into the crash.
NEW DELHI, Jan. 28, 2026 — The deputy chief minister of India’s western state of Maharashtra was killed Wednesday when a charter aircraft carrying him crashed and caught fire, killing all five people on board, aviation authorities said.
The aircraft went down while flying to the state’s interior region, where the senior leader was scheduled to take part in local election activities, according to officials familiar with the itinerary.
The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar marks a major political loss for India’s most economically significant state and has sent shockwaves through the country’s political establishment.
Maharashtra, home to India’s financial capital Mumbai, plays a critical role in national politics and economic policy.
Authorities said the aircraft crashed during the flight, erupting into flames on impact. Emergency teams reached the site but found no survivors.
Ajit Pawar was among the most influential political figures in Maharashtra, holding the deputy chief minister’s post multiple times over his decades long career. He belonged to one of the state’s most prominent political families and was widely regarded as a power broker in coalition politics.
At the time of the crash, Pawar was traveling to his home region to campaign ahead of local body elections, a key political exercise that shapes governance at the grassroots level across India.
Two members of Pawar’s personal staff and two crew members were also on board the chartered Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by private aviation firm VSR Ventures, officials said.
Aviation specialists said crashes involving small business jets are rare but often difficult to investigate due to severe impact damage.
Capt. Mohan Ranganathan, a former airline pilot and aviation safety consultant, said crashes during charter operations often require close scrutiny of operational planning.
“Charter flights operate under strict rules, but factors such as crew workload, weather assessment and airport infrastructure play a major role in flight safety,” Ranganathan said.
Dr. Nivedita Menon, a professor of public policy at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said Pawar’s death could have immediate political consequences.
“He was a central figure in Maharashtra’s coalition structure. His absence creates uncertainty at both the administrative and political levels,” Menon said.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Learjet 45 |
| Operator | VSR Ventures |
| Occupants | Five (5) |
| Fatalities | Five (5) |
| Flight Purpose | Political travel (Local elections) |
| Investigating Agency | Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), India |
Q1: What happened in the Maharashtra deputy chief minister plane crash?
A charter aircraft carrying the deputy chief minister crashed, killing all five people on board.
Q2: Where did the plane crash occur?
The crash occurred in Maharashtra during election-related travel.
Q3: Who is investigating the crash?
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident.