As investigators work to identify the cause...

AGEING PLANE?

Some experts suggest that the age of the presidential three-engine Tu-154, built in 1984, was to blame.

The New York Times cited Paul Hayes, director of accidents and insurance at London-based aviation consultancy Ascend, as saying Russia halted mass production of the jet about 20 years ago and about 200 of them are still in service around the world. He said the Polish presidential model was one of the youngest of those still in service.

Polish media said former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller, who survived a helicopter crash in 2003, had long predicted such a disaster. Polish officials requested the replacement of the government"s aging air fleet but were told there were not enough funds.

James Fallows, a National Correspondent for American magazine The Atlantic said "initial worried speculation about the "aging" Russian Tupolev-154 aircraft was probably beside the point."

Polish TV quoted Alexei Gusev, the head of the maintenance

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