Khabarovsk governor announces reasons for recent An-28 crash

According to preliminary information, the catastrophe of an An-28 passengeraircraft in the Khabarovsk region on August 29 that claimed lives of 16people occurred due to pilot error. Khabarovsk regional governor, chairmanof the committee investigating the crash Viktor Ishayev declared at a pressconference in Khabarovsk today. According to him, final results will bemade only after the plane's flight recorder is decoded. It was burned buthad no mechanical damage. The governor was quoted as saying that the plane crashed during its secondapproach. It hit the top of the Otvesny promontory with a wing first andthen with its gear 4.8 kilometers away from the landing strip in the Ayanvillage. It fell from an altitude of 85 meters and started burning. "Theposition of wing-flaps and the yoke made it clear that the pilots noticedthe promontory and made an attempt to gain height, but were late by two orthree seconds," the official said. Ten bodies were identified by relatives, and medical officials are tryingto identify the rest of them, the governor added. The body of a Japaneseengineer, who was onboard the plane was identified and will be transportedto his native country as soon as possible. September 3 will be a mourningday in the Khabarosk region, the NTV television reported..