Investigative Committee names piloting mistake, technical factors as most likely causes of Boeing crash
KAZAN. Nov 18 (Interfax) - The Investigative Committee will carry out all necessary investigative actions in relation to the Boeing airliner crash in Kazan in the shortest possible amount of time, head of the Volga investigative department for transport of the Investigative Committee Alexander Poltinin has said.
"The key theories are piloting errors and technical factors, including equipment failure," Poltinin said.
He said that a group of operatives, including Emergency Situations' Ministry personnel, is deployed in Kazan and the crisis center worked all night.
He said all due expert studies will be promptly ordered.
Poltinin said that the airliner fell almost vertically between the runway and taxi lane. An explosion of fuel tanks caused a fire which was only completely extinguished the following morning.
Poltinin said that before landing the crew contacted air traffic controllers but for an unknown reason circled around the runway to attempt a landing a second time. Investigators will have to find out why the airliner failed to land on the first attempt.
Various investigative and operative measures are currently underway. Body fragments will be taken to a morgue in Kazan for identification by families. If relatives fail to identify the dead, DNA studies will be conducted. Poltinin said identification will require much time.
He also said that in the context of the investigation technical liquids have been sampled in Moscow, including kerosene and lubricants used for servicing the airliner.
The Sunday evening crash of the Boeing 737 of Tatarstan Airlines took the lives of 44 passengers, including two children, and six crewmembers.