Investigators in Lithuania cite human error for cargo plane crash that killed crew member

VILNIUS, Lithuania — A pre-trial investigation has found that human error was likely to blame for the crash of a DHL cargo plane on its approach to an airport in Lithuania's capital four months ago that killed a Spanish crew member, state prosecutors said Wednesday.

In the Nov. 25 incident, the cargo plane skidded into a house near Vilnius airport. No one was harmed on the ground. Surveillance video showed the aircraft descending normally on approach before dawn and then exploding into a huge ball of fire behind a building.

The prosecutor general's office said in a statement that investigators determined that hydraulic systems responsible for deploying the plane’s flaps were disabled, likely causing the crash. It said authorities have conducted interviews in Lithuania, scene inspections, analysis of the Boeing 737’s flight recorders and collected other information.

Lithuanian authorities have asked Spanish authorities to serve a “notice of suspicion” to the pilot, who is receiving medical care in Spain, so that investigators can take a deeper look into the circumstances of the crash, the statement added.

Authorities are looking into possible charges including negligent action leading to death, destruction of property, inadequate maintenance of an aircraft, and serious physical harm caused by illegal behavior, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said 16 people have been identified as victims of the incident, without specifying.