New Delhi: Making public for the first time an inquiry report, the Air Force on September 2 blamed the trainee pilot for an error that led to the crash of a MiG-21 trainer version aircraft near Srinagar airport in July in which both the pilots were killed.

Air Force Chief S Krishnaswamy, however, asserted that his force was not indulging in any cover up of the accidents that led to dubbing of the old Russian engines as "flying coffins".

Disclosing the findings of the probe that was ordered in the backdrop of public outcry over 230 MiG crashes since 1990, the Air Chief said that all the accidents were being probed thoroughly in a "transparent" manner and there was no no question of attempting any "white wash".

PTI