DGCA grounds four aircraft of VSR Ventures, a month after Ajit Pawar’s death in crash

Nearly a month after the death of then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grounded four aircraft operated by the same charter company that had flown it.

The regulator also announced a raft of measures for charter companies across the country following a “recent spike” in incidents to ensure tighter oversight, following a high-level meeting with various charter operators on Tuesday.

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“The multi-disciplinary inspection team observed various non-compliances of approved procedures in the field of airworthiness, air safety and flight operations in the organization,” said a press release issued by DGCA on VSR Ventures Pvt Limited. As a result, four aircraft were “immediately grounded” until the company met prescribed airworthiness standards. All grounded aircraft are either Learjet 40 or Learjet 45.

According to the DGCA website, VSR Ventures has 17 aircraft registered in its name.

Ajit Pawar and four others on board Learjet 45 were killed when it crashed in Baramati on January 28. The DGCA subsequently conducted a specific audit for VSR as well as a broader industry-wide audit. A preliminary investigation report is expected to be provided within 30 days after the accident.

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Deficiencies in education

In a press release, DGCA said accident data over the last decade shows that most incidents are caused by non-compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), inadequate flight planning and training deficiencies.

In response, the regulator announced a series of corrective measures. These include the introduction of a safety ranking system for all charter operators, which will soon be published on the DGCA website, enhanced random inspections and closer surveillance of aging aircraft as well as aircraft undergoing changes in ownership. DGCA has also instructed charter companies to disclose details such as the age of their aircraft, maintenance records and pilots’ experience on their websites, enabling customers to make more informed booking decisions.