Polish air crash due to ‘pilot error’

INVESTIGATORS blamed pilot error yesterday for a crash that killed Poland’s president, as harrowing details emerged of how the crew knew they were doomed after hitting trees while trying to land in Russia.

As Poland’s national unity fractured over plans to bury president Lech Kaczynski in a castle alongside kings and heroes, officials released the first results from analysis of the plane’s black box flight recorders.

“The crew was aware of the inevitability of the coming catastrophe, if only due to the plane shaking after the wings hit the trees – which we are certain happened,” Poland’s chief prosecutor Andrzej Seremet told commercial radio.