Russian crash probe reveals faulty crew maneuvers

Kazan: Russia`s aviation safety watchdog says the pilots of a Boeing 737 jet somehow lost their plane`s speed at a low altitude, resulting in a diving crash that killed all 50 people on board. The Interstate Aviation Committee on Tuesday said the plane`s engines and other systems were working fine until the moment the plane hit the ground. It said the crew had failed to make a proper landing approach on their first attempt and then began a second run.

They put the plane`s engines on maximum power, raising the plane`s nose up at a sharp angle, causing a quick loss of speed. The crew then tried to gain speed by taking the plane into a dive but hit the ground at a near-vertical angle in a spectacular crash.