Black box of aircraft from Ajit Pawar’s crash sustained damage

The black box of the plane involved in the accident, which killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, was exposed to intense heat and sustained fire damage. As a result, according to the investigation agency, the cockpit voice recording has not yet been found.

A Learjet 45 crashed in Baramati, Maharashtra, on January 28, killing Pawar, both pilots, cabin crew and the leader’s staff. The leased aircraft belonged to Delhi-based VSR Private Limited.

The black box, containing the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), was recovered the next day. On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is investigating the crash, said data from the DFDR had been successfully downloaded but that the CVR had “undergone detailed technical review”. AAIB also sought specific support on data retrieval from the CVR’s production state. The aircraft’s CVR was manufactured by US-based Honeywell.

In the press release made by AAIB, it was stated that “There were two independent flight recorders on the plane. Both recorders were exposed to intense heat for a long time during the accident and were damaged due to fire.”

Since the accident, the DGCA has ordered an audit of VSR Private Limited, the charter operator involved in the Baramati accident, as well as 14 other major charter operators in the country.