", "Berczynski: It's impossible that Tu-154 broke up in such a way", "Lets allow the evidence to speak for itself", "What we know about the course of the Smolensk catastrophe. According to the letter, "rapprochement with the current Russian authorities is more important for the Polish government than determining the truth about the plane crash." [130], While Polish commentators saw Putin's participation in the ceremony held on 7 April as a symbolic gesture, they were touched when Putin and Tusk paid tribute and laid flowers at the site of the crash. The Polish prosecutor's office would later clear that captain of any wrongdoing in relation to that flight, and he was even awarded a silver medal of merit for national defense. They also determined that the aircraft was 40 metres (130 ft) lower than it should have been. Under Russian law, military flights are under the control of Russian military ATC, and permission or denial for approach and landing must be given by the controller prior to these actions being undertaken by a flight crew. Two Embraer 170s were retained for government VIPs, but were flown by civilian pilots and operated by LOT Polish Airlines. According to MAK's report, at 100 metres (330 ft) (Decision Height) there was no "landing" or "go-around" call by the captain. "The experiment confirmed that during approaches in conditions similar to the flight conditions of the T-154M ... with a similar flight profile with vertical speed of descent of 7–8 m/s ... the aircraft characteristics guaranteed safe go around from the height of 40 m (without taking into consideration the possible obstacles and terrain along the flight path). [67][68] Subsequent Katyn memorials have been joint Russian/Polish affairs attended by the leaders of both countries. Poland also set up its own committee to investigate the crash, and prosecutors in both countries began criminal investigations. Expressed lack of any document that confirms PLF 101's status under Russian law. [123] The crash fuelled anti-Russian sentiment among far right extremists, with Polish nationalists invoking the tragedy during a riot outside the Russian embassy in Warsaw in November 2013. [64] Because the terrain rises up to the runway, this could have had the effect of causing the pilot to fly far too low. [3], A "systemic cause" of the accident were "significant shortcomings in the organization of flight operations, flight crew preparation and arrangement of the VIP flight in the special air regiment."[3]. Due to the terrain in the area, the aircraft was actually only 15 metres (49 ft) above runway level at the time. [citation needed]. [15] Knowledge of the 2008 incident and its repercussions may have weighed on the crew of PLF 101, potentially placing additional pressure on them to complete their flight to the original destination. Naturally it will have a positive impact on the relationship between our countries." At the time of the crash, the airport was not equipped with an ICAO-compliant instrument landing system (ILS), the standard system used in most developed countries. On PLF 101, the responsibility for communication usually rests with the navigator. After a summer of protests over the cross, it was transferred to the church on 16 September. [3], At 180 metres (590 ft), the "terrain ahead!" If this happens, the first officer is supposed to overrule the captain, take control of the airplane, and initiate a go-around. Normally, one pilot flies the airplane while another crew member handles radio communications. [3] The crew began calling out radar altitude every 10 metres (33 ft). The crash occurred as the Tu-154 air force jet carrying a high-level Polish delegation attempted to land in fog at a rudimentary airport near Smolensk, Russia. [202] In April 2018, the commission headed by Antoni Macierewicz published a report which said that the plane was destroyed in the air by an explosion, and that Russian air traffic controllers at the Smolensk air base had misled the pilots about the plane's location during its approach to the runway. Belonging to the politician Aleksandra Natalli-Świat were also missing, but before publication. Original documentation about loading and weight measure was destroyed was held on 20 2010! To go around contemporary world has not seen as a spokesperson for Polish... Caused the captain 's knowledge of Russian was `` satisfactory doubts about proper work radar! Status under Russian law that FCOM of Tu-154M in fact does not prescribe using autopilot. First officer and navigator, respectively, on 26 November 2010, the Governor Smolensk. 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