A U.S. team of investigators on Sunday inspected the site of a deadly plane crash for clues to what caused the accident that killed 57 people, officials and news reports said, according to AP. A team from Boeing _ which has acquired the aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas _ and from jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney visited the crash site and met with a Turkish prosecutor leading the investigation, the Dogan news agency reported. A Transport Ministry official confirmed that a U.S. team of experts was in Turkey. He asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. It is usual for the aircraft's manufacturer to assist in any investigation of plane accidents. The Atlasjet MD-83 was flying from Istanbul to Isparta in Turkey's southwest when it crashed into a mountain early Friday, killing all 50 passengers and seven crew members. Weather conditions and visibility were good when the plane suddenly disappeared from the radar a few minutes before it was supposed to land, officials said. A transcript of the conversation between the Atlasjet pilot and the Isparta control tower, released by the Dogan news agency, did not indicate any problem. Turkish authorities have ruled out sabotage. An initial study of the crash site pointed to pilot error, suggesting that the pilot had veered several kilometers (miles) off the inbound course during the nighttime landing, reports said Sunday. The Transport Ministry official would not confirm the reports, saying the exact cause would be clearer when the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are examined. On Sunday, funerals were held in the Aegean port city of Izmir and in Istanbul for the plane's pilot, co-pilot, technician and one of the flight attendants. Many of the victims were buried in a funeral service Saturday in Isparta, with thousands flocking to mosques to say prayers for the victims. A group of physicists working on a national nuclear project were among the victims. Atlasjet, a private airline established in 2001, operates regular flights inside Turkey and chartered flights to Europe and other foreign destinations.
