The Polish plane crash near Smolensk in west Russia that killed President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and other top officials was not caused by any technical problems with the jet, Russian investigators said on Sunday.

The Soviet-made TU-154 carrying Kaczynski hit the top of trees as it attempted in thick fog to land at a Smolensk airport on Saturday morning, killing all the 97 people on board the plane.

The plane was taking Kaczynski and a delegation of top Polish officials to a ceremony to pay tribute to some 20,000 Polish officers who were executed in the Katyn forest and other locations by Soviet secret police in 1940.

Russian investigators, experts and Polish specialists are jointly investigating the causes of the plane crash.

Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia`s Investigative Committee, on Sunday reported to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin citing preliminary results that the deciphered records confirmed the absence of technical problems with the plane.

"The pilot was informed about complex weather conditions and, nevertheless, made a decision on landing," Bastrykin said.
sections: Society