BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyzstan's transport minister says pilot error was likely to blame for the crash of a Boeing jet in August that killed 74 people.
Nurlan Sulaimanov said Tuesday that a Russian-led investigation made the conclusion after studying onboard recordings.
The Itek Air's Boeing-737 heading to Iran crashed Aug. 24 shortly after takeoff from the main Kyrgyz airport following a crew's request for an emergency landing.
It was the worst aviation disaster in nearly two decades in the impoverished Central Asian country.
Kyrgyzstan's aging airplanes are prohibited from operating in Europe because of safety concerns.
