The fatal IAF helicopter crash Monday night appeals to have been caused by technical failure. An initial investigation indicated that the back rotor of the helicopter became detached.

The investigation continues.

A source in the Air Force told reporters that problems with the rotor are common. “There have been problems with the rotor for years, the pilots are trained accordingly,” he said.

He suggested that the pilots had not informed the control tower of the problem because they were busy trying to fix it.

The crash killed pilots Noam Ron and Erez Flexer. Ron, 49, of Oranit, is survived by a wife and three daughters, and Flexer, 31, of Herzliya, is survived by a wife and a four-month-old son.