Moscow • The plane that burst into flames while making an emergency landing at a Moscow airport, killing 41 of the 78 people on board, was without radio communications because of a lightning strike, Russian news media on Monday quoted the pilot as saying.
The plane reportedly did not jettison any fuel before the landing, as is common procedure to reduce the weight of an aircraft that must land shortly after takeoff. It was not clear why the crew did not take the time to do that.
A flight attendant said there was a sharp flash soon after takeoff Sunday evening from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport as the plane headed to Murmansk.