▁The ▁thick ▁smoke ▁may ▁have ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁choice ▁of ▁flight ▁profile . ▁The ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁hours ' ▁flying ▁experience ; ▁the ▁cop il ot ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 , 5 0 0 ▁hours ; ▁and ▁the ▁navig ator ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁hours . ▁ ▁Investig ators ▁found ▁that ▁the ▁hot ▁air ▁from ▁the ▁wild f ires ▁could ▁have ▁caused ▁loss ▁of ▁engine ▁thrust , ▁resulting ▁in ▁loss ▁of ▁alt itude . ▁The ▁Il - 7 6 ' s ▁tail ▁may ▁have ▁then ▁cli pped ▁a ▁h il lock , ▁causing ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁to ▁col lide ▁with ▁the ▁hill side . ▁The ▁crew ▁may ▁have ▁lost ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁after ▁it ▁started ▁hitting ▁trees . ▁ ▁After math ▁ ▁Fl ags ▁were ▁flow n ▁at ▁half - m ast ▁and ▁television ▁program mes ▁were ▁cancel led ▁as ▁respect ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁killed . ▁ ▁The ▁Russian ▁Minister ▁of ▁Emer gency ▁Situ ations ▁Vladimir ▁P uch kov ▁told ▁the ▁families ▁of ▁the ▁dece ased ▁crew ▁that ▁he ▁" express es ▁his ▁cond ol ences ". ▁He ▁stated ▁that ▁" All ▁our ▁Emer gen cies ▁Ministry ▁team ▁is ▁m our ning . ▁These ▁were ▁professional ▁pil ots ▁and ▁res cu ers . ▁We ▁will ▁never ▁forget ▁them ." ▁The ▁pil ots ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁experienced , ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁job ▁for ▁dec ades . ▁ ▁The ▁Chair