New Delhi, Feb 24 (NationPress) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has officially grounded four aircraft belonging to VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd following a series of safety violations uncovered during a special audit triggered by the Learjet 45 crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, on January 28, which claimed the life of state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. This information was revealed in a statement from the regulator on Tuesday.

The DGCA reported, "In light of the LearJet 45 incident (registration VT-SSK) involving VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd on January 28, 2026, a thorough safety audit was mandated. The audit team found numerous instances of non-compliance with approved procedures related to airworthiness, aviation safety, and flight operations."

Due to these non-compliance issues and significant gaps in maintenance procedures, the DGCA has decided to ground the Learjet 40/45 models registered as VT-VRA, VT-VRS, VT-VRV, and VT-TRI until the necessary airworthiness standards are reinstated, as stated in the announcement.

VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd has been issued deficiency reporting forms to conduct a root cause analysis of the identified non-compliances for further evaluation by the DGCA.

The preliminary report regarding the Learjet 45 crash at Baramati is expected to be released by February 28, according to Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, who stated, "The preliminary findings will be available within one month of the accident that occurred on January 28, thus by February 28."

Rohit Pawar, the nephew of Ajit Pawar and NCP-SP MLA, has accused the company operating the aircraft of serious safety violations. He has held multiple press conferences highlighting what he perceives as irregularities related to the firm and has even suggested potential foul play.

As per ICAO standards, the preliminary report on the investigation into the Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) crash must be issued within 30 days of the incident. A final report will follow subsequently, as confirmed by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a technical and evidence-based investigation into the crash, which includes a meticulous examination of the wreckage, operational and maintenance records, and laboratory tests of components when necessary.

The aircraft was outfitted with two independent flight recorders. The Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), produced by L3 Communications, has been successfully analyzed at the AAIB’s facility in New Delhi, while the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) suffered thermal damage. Technical assistance has been sought from the manufacturer, Honeywell, in accordance with ICAO regulations.

In 2025, the DGCA performed 51 regulatory audits of non-scheduled operators, including numerous surveillances on VSR Ventures, focusing on flight safety systems, adherence to flight duty time limits, maintenance compliance (CAR M and CAR 145), documentation, and station facilities. All surveillance findings were properly addressed and resolved, the statement clarified.

Following the crash, the Ministry directed the DGCA to execute a special audit of VSR Ventures to conduct a comprehensive assessment of regulatory compliance, operational controls, maintenance practices, crew training standards, safety management systems, and monitoring of CVR/FDR.