The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the preliminary report into the January 28 crash of a Learjet 45 aircraft at Baramati in Maharashtra will be released by February 28, even as the investigation continues amid mounting calls for transparency from members of the Pawar family.

The probe is being conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, in accordance with international norms prescribed under ICAO Annex 13 Standards and Recommended Practices.

In a statement, the ministry emphasised that the investigation is technical and evidence-based. “The AAIB’s investigation involves systematic examination of wreckage, operational and maintenance records, and laboratory testing of components where required. A preliminary report will be issued within 30 days of the occurrence, as per ICAO norms, and the final report will follow in due course,” the ministry said.

The preliminary report, as per international practice, is expected to outline factual information gathered so far but may not necessarily determine the cause of the crash.

On February 17, the AAIB confirmed that it had sought “special support” to retrieve data from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which sustained thermal damage in the crash.

The bureau stated that assistance has been sought from CVR manufacturer Honeywell to decode the damaged recorder in line with ICAO provisions. Investigators believe that recovering CVR data will be crucial in reconstructing cockpit conversations and understanding the sequence of events leading up to the accident.

The investigation has come under political scrutiny following statements by Rohit Pawar, MLA from the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP). On February 10, Rohit Pawar suggested that the crash could have involved sabotage and raised questions about the maintenance practices of VSR Ventures.

Rohit Pawar, a third-generation leader from the Pawar family, is politically aligned with the faction led by Sharad Pawar, from which Ajit Pawar had split in July 2023.

While the ministry has not commented directly on the sabotage allegation, officials reiterated that the investigation will proceed strictly on technical and evidentiary grounds.

The crash claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. The accident occurred at approximately 8:44 am during the aircraft’s second landing attempt at Baramati airport in Pune district.

The mid-sized business jet, a Learjet 45, belonged to Delhi-based VSR Ventures.

Separately, the government confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) commenced an audit on February 4, 2026, which is expected to conclude shortly. “The audit commenced on 4 February 2026 and is expected to conclude shortly. Findings will be reviewed and action will be taken in accordance with DGCA’s enforcement policy and procedures manual,” the ministry said.

The DGCA is also conducting special audits of other major non-scheduled operators and aerodromes engaged in VIP and VVIP operations. The crash has triggered wider scrutiny of private charter operations, maintenance standards, and regulatory oversight in India’s non-scheduled aviation segment.

With the preliminary report due by the end of the month, attention will now turn to whether investigators are able to retrieve usable data from the damaged cockpit voice recorder and what initial factual findings reveal about the aircraft’s final approach.

While political debate continues, aviation authorities have maintained that the investigation will follow international protocols and that conclusions will be based solely on technical evidence.