Russian Plane Crash: Pilots blamed for the accident

New Delhi : In a recent development in Russian Plane Crash incident, the pilots have been blamed for the accident that killed all 71 people on board on February 11. 

According to initial investigation reports, the pilots did not switch on a heating unit, leading the speed sensors to freeze and provide wrong information.

"A factor in the development of a special situation in the flight could be the wrong data about flight speed on pilots' indicators which was likely due to iced pitot tubes (speed probes) while their heating systems were shut off," The New York Post quoted the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee as saying.

"A special situation began to develop about two minutes and 30 seconds after the takeoff at an altitude of around 1,300 meters and the indicator speed of 465-470 km/h," the committee added.

The flight recorders captured different data in two airspeed sensors on the plane. Before the plane crashed on the ground, one of the sensors showed speed 0 kmh, while the other showed 800 kmh.

An analysis on voice recorder is yet to be done that will give an even clear picture of the crash.

A criminal case on charges of violations of flight safety and aircraft operation rules entailing the death of two or more people through negligence has been opened.

Russian plane Antonov An-148 had crashed on February 11, killing all 71 people on board.