New Delhi: CCTV footage recorded along a highway near Maharashtra’s Baramati airport has captured the chilling moment a private aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others onboard crashed and erupted into flames on Wednesday morning.

The timestamp on the video shows 8.46.02 am, when a sudden flash of fire and a thick column of smoke filled the frame, moments after the jet attempted to land.

The Learjet 45 had departed Mumbai at 8.10 am and was approaching Baramati airport when it encountered trouble during the landing attempt. Within seconds, the aircraft struck the ground and burst into flames.

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Footage from the crash site showed wreckage scattered across the area as fire continued to rage. Emergency responders rushed in while residents nearby gathered in shock, struggling to comprehend the scale of the tragedy.

One eyewitness described the terrifying sequence of events leading up to the crash. “I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire,” the eyewitness added.

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A special team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the aircraft crash in Baramati.

During the course of the investigation, the probe team will retrieve the flight recorder, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES).

Airframe and engine logbooks, work orders, on-board documents, and major inspection records related to aircraft will be gathered from the operator for scrutiny.

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The probe team has also sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) documents related to the crew and the aircraft. Recordings of radar data, CCTV footage, ATC tape recordings, and hotline communications will be obtained for further analysis. 

The investigation team will record the statements of witnesses and concerned personnel.

(with inputs from ANI)