What Caused the 2023 Mumbai Learjet Crash? AAIB Report Findings

Quick answer: India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has concluded that an unstabilised approach, continued in marginal weather, and improper aircraft handling caused the crash landing of a VSR Ventures Learjet 45XR at Mumbai airport on 14 September 2023. All eight people on board were evacuated and taken to hospital with injuries. Emergency number in India: 112.

Key facts

• What: Aviation investigation report — Learjet 45XR crash landing
• Where: Mumbai airport, India
• Crash date: 14 September 2023
• Report published: 17 October 2026, via The Economic Times
• People on board: 8 — two pilots, one flight attendant and five passengers; all injured, none killed
• Emergency number: 112
• Status: Final report published; recommendations issued

What happened

On 14 September 2023, a VSR Ventures Learjet 45XR was operating a non-scheduled passenger charter flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai. During its landing approach at Mumbai airport, in heavy rain and low visibility, the aircraft became unstable and veered off course. Stall and ground-proximity warnings sounded in the cockpit before the jet came down off the runway and caught fire.

All eight people on board — a Pilot-in-Command holding an ATPL, a co-pilot holding a CPL, one flight attendant and five passengers — were evacuated and taken to hospital with injuries. Emergency crews extinguished the fire.

What the AAIB found

In its final report, released on 17 October 2026, the AAIB identified the probable cause as the flight crew's decision to continue an unstabilised approach under marginal weather conditions, combined with improper aircraft handling. Those handling lapses led to an aerodynamic stall at low altitude from which the aircraft could not recover.

The report listed several contributory factors: the crew's failure to monitor airspeed, a delayed go-around decision, adverse weather with strong tailwinds and poor visibility, and an undue commitment by the cockpit crew to complete the landing before the start of Mumbai airport's scheduled restricted operational hours.

The investigation was conducted under India's Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, in coordination with the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and technical advisers from the aircraft manufacturer, in line with ICAO Annex 13 standards.

What the report recommends

The AAIB urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to review recurrent pilot training requirements, with particular emphasis on stall recovery in landing configuration, and to carry out a one-time audit of training records for fixed-wing pilots working with non-scheduled and general aviation operators.

It also recommended stricter enforcement of go-around procedures during unstabilised approaches, enhanced crew resource management training, stronger internal audits and verification of operator manuals, improved checklist compliance by VSR Ventures, proper maintenance of aircraft logbooks, and adherence to wake turbulence separation norms by Airports Authority of India air traffic controllers.

Where it happened

The crash landing happened at Mumbai airport, on a flight arriving from Visakhapatnam. See the India live accident page for everything reported there in the last 24 hours. In an emergency in India dial 112.

What happens next

The DGCA and the operator are expected to act on the AAIB's recommendations, including the training review and the one-time audit of pilot training records. The findings are likely to be used in recurrent training for business-jet and general-aviation crews operating into busy airports in poor weather.

Source: The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/unstabilised-approach-low-altitude-stall-caused-2023-mumbai-learjet-crash-aaib-report/articleshow/135009931.cms

Frequently asked questions

What caused the 2023 Mumbai Learjet crash?

The AAIB's final report identified the probable cause as the crew's decision to continue an unstabilised approach in marginal weather, combined with improper aircraft handling, which led to a low-altitude aerodynamic stall.

How many people were on board, and were there any deaths?

Eight people were on board — two pilots, one flight attendant and five passengers. All eight were evacuated and taken to hospital with injuries; no deaths were reported.

When and where did the crash happen?

On 14 September 2023, a VSR Ventures Learjet 45XR crash-landed at Mumbai airport during heavy rain and low visibility, on a charter flight from Visakhapatnam.

What did the AAIB recommend?

Among other measures, it urged the DGCA to review recurrent pilot training with emphasis on stall recovery in landing configuration, to audit training records of fixed-wing pilots at non-scheduled and general aviation operators, and to enforce go-around procedures more strictly during unstabilised approaches.