India, Jan. 29 -- Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in a plane crash in Maharashtra's Baramati town on Wednesday morning, ending an era in state politics and raising serious questions about the flight operator and the state of the airstrip.

Ajit Pawar, 66, was in a mid-size business jet that took off at 8.10am from Mumbai for his home bastion of Baramati to address rallies for upcoming rural body polls. Thirteen minutes later, the Learjet 45 aircraft began its descent but aborted the first landing after the pilot couldn't see the runway.

After circling back, pilots confirmed a second landing attempt at 8.43am but a minute later, the air traffic control saw flames near the runway as the aircraft vee...