MOSCOW, August 16 (AVN) - Federal troops commander in Chechnya Colonel General Valery Baranov has taken control over investigation of the MI-24 Hind helicopter crash near the village of Tsa-Vedeno, a spokesman for the unified federal headquarters said on Thursday.
The crashed helicopter's crew commander, Captain Churbanov, and his navigator, Senior Lieutenant Tumanov, were experienced aviators, spent many hours in the air and accomplished many combat missions in Chechnya, the spokesman told the Military News Agency. That is why the commission investigating the crash practically rules out pilots' mistake.
The aircraft belonged to the separate helicopter regiment of the North Caucasus military district.