KAZAN,
Russia (AP) — The passenger jet went down in a steep dive and exploded
in a giant fireball on the tarmac in a chilling video broadcast Monday
by Russian television stations.
The Boeing 737 plane belonging to
Tatarstan Airlines crashed Sunday night at its home port of Kazan, 720
kilometers (520 miles) east of Moscow, killing all 50 people aboard.
It
was making its second attempt at a landing, according to Alexander
Poltinin, head of the local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee,
who said investigators are looking into possible pilot error or
equipment failure.
The traffic controller at the Kazan airport who
contacted the plane before the crash said the crew told him they
weren't ready to land as it was approaching but didn't specify the
problem.
