Human error suspected in Russia plane crash

MOSCOW - Human error may be to blame for the Russian plane crash that killed 71 people, Russian investigators said on Tuesday, noting that the plane's pilots failed to turn on the heating unit for its measuring equipment, resulting in flawed speed data.

After studying the An148's flight data recorder, the Interstate Aviation Committee said that Sunday's crash near Moscow occurred after the pilots saw conflicting data on the plane's two air speed indicators.

The flawed readings came because the pilots failed to turn on the heating unit for the plane's pressure measurement equipment prior to takeoff, the committee said.