ZURICH: An air traffic controller gave a Swiss air force fighter pilot too low an altitude at which to fly moments before his jet slammed into a cloud-draped mountain last month, killing him, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Preliminary results of an investigation found the 27-year-old pilot was told to fly at 10,000 feet (3,050 metres) after losing radar contact with his team leader soon after takeoff. His F/A 18 fighter hit the mountain at around 3,300 metres.