Brazil: Minister blames pilots for crash

BRASILIA, Brazil, April 12 (UPI) -- Brazilian Defense Minister Waldir Peres again blamed two U.S. pilots for the worst crash in the country's history, Folha de Sao Paulo reported Thursday.

During congressional testimony, Peres reiterated earlier claims that the American duo -- piloting the small private plane that crashed midair with the commercial airline -- were responsible for crash that killed all 154 people onboard the airliner.

The pilots contend their plane's transponder stopped emitting its signal before their craft clipped the commercial craft in September.

The crash of Gol Flight 1907 over the Amazon jungle was the worst in Brazilian aviation history. The small private plane flown by the two U.S. pilots managed to land safely after the collision.