MOSCOW. Aug 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The crash of a Kamov Ka-52 helicopter in Torzhok, Tver region, on March 12, 2012, was not caused by a technical defect, First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Sukhorukov told reporters on Wednesday.
"In the opinion of the investigative commission, it was not a hardware failure," he said.
The weather was very bad and the pilots had a crash landing, Sukhorukov added.
A source close to the investigative commission reported earlier that bad weather had been blamed for the Ka-52 crash. Besides, the pilots were flying in the dark.
The helicopter crashed about ten kilometers away from Torzhok. Both pilots died.
Kamov is the Ka-25 'Alligator' designer. It is built at the Sazykin Progress Aircraft Company in Arsenyev, a unit of the Russian Helicopters Holding.
The Ka-52 carries twelve supersonic anti-tank guided missiles Vikhr with automatic laser targeting, unified machinegun and cannon containers, 80 80-millimeter unguided missiles, and air-to-air missiles. It also has a 30-millimeter cannon 2A42 with 500 shells. The combat load is 2,000 kilograms.