European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspends TCO authorisation for VSR Ventures after crash

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended VSR Ventures’ Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization following the Learjet 45XR crash in 2023. According to DGCA, Learjet 45 aircraft operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd crashed at Mumbai Airport on September 14, 2023.

In 2023, a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 aircraft, VT-DBL, en route from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai was involved in a runway excursion (deviation) while landing on runway 27 at Mumbai airport.

The plane had previously taken off from Visakhapatnam Airport and while landing at Mumbai Airport via Runway 27, it constantly drifted to the right of the runway and crashed into the shoulder at the intersection of Taxiways W and N. There were 2 crew members and 6 passengers on board. While the co-pilot was seriously injured, the Pilot in Command (PIC) and 6 passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident.

To date, the investigation team has produced only one preliminary report on the accident. Even though 2.5 years have passed, the final report has not been presented yet.

After Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in the Baramati plane crash, his son Jay Pawar commented for the first time that the black boxes in the plane crash could not be easily destroyed. The people of Maharashtra have the right to know the full, transparent and undeniable truth about this heart-shaking tragic incident.

Pawar called for an immediate suspension of VSR’s flight operations and demanded a thorough, impartial investigation into possible serious irregularities in the maintenance of the airline’s aircraft.

Ajit Pawar and four others died when the plane carrying him crashed while trying to land at Baramati airport in Pune district on the morning of January 28.