Investigators: Engines on crashed Russian plane functioned normally

Sep 9, 2011, 9:52 GMT

Moscow - The engines of a Russian passenger plane that crashed killing 43 people were functioning normally and the aircraft's crew seemingly attempted a standard take-off, according to initial data from flight recorders made public on Friday.

Two flight recorders recovered from Wednesday's Yak-42 jet crash showed pilots had placed flaps and stabilisers at standard settings and that the jet's three engines worked properly right up until the plane struck an object, a statement released by the International Aviation Committee (IAC) said.

The flight from an airport near the central Russian city Yaroslavl some 280 kilometres north-east of Moscow ended with the Yak plane striking a runway antenna and smashing into the ground almost immediately after take-off.

Searchers recovered the plane's two flight recorders on Thursday. Though submerged in a river for more than a day the recorders' data appeared to be complete, Interfax reported citing a Russian government aviation agency official.

Investigators have suggested a mechanical failure or pilot error were the most likely causes of the crash. The crash victims were members of a professional ice hockey team and the charter plane's air crew.

One ice hockey player and the plane's flight engineer survived, receiving severe burns and other injuries.

Both were in 'critical but stable' condition in Moscow hospitals, Interfax reported.

President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called for an overhaul of the nation's air transportation industry and the enforcement of strict air safety standards.