Investigators into the Saturday plane crash in central Russia, which left six people dead, are considering four possible versions of the tragedy, including terrorism, transport police said on Sunday.
The Antonov An-148 short-haul passenger aircraft, a joint Russian-Ukrainian project, was on a trial flight when it crashed in the Belgorod region on Saturday morning. Eyewitnesses said the plane fell apart in the air.
Investigators are looking into pilot's error, factory defects, poor quality fuel or terrorist attack as possible causes of the accident.
The aircraft, which belonged to the Voronezh Aircraft Plant, was to be delivered to Myanmar, which ordered two last year for government use. At least two of those on board were Myanmar nationals.
Last September, GTK Rossiya airline, which has five An-148 planes in its commercial fleet, complained about the quality of the plane. "The reliability of An-148 planes is below the previously declared level, and is not enough to provide safe and regular flights," it said.
The managers of the Voronezh Aircraft Plant have decided to pay at least a million rubles ($35,000) in compensation to each family of the victims and to cover funeral expenses, the press service of the plant said.
The bodies are being identified. Flight data recorders have remained intact and are now being studied by the investigators.
A military attache of the Burmese Embassy in Russia has arrived in Voronezh to meet the plant managers.
VORONEZH, March 6 (RIA Novosti)
