Exclusive - Airbus staff error led to fatal Mali copter crash: German official

BERLIN (Reuters) - The fatal crash of a German armed forces helicopter in Mali last year was caused by the failure of mechanics from manufacturer Airbus to correctly set the aircraft's rotor controls after repairs, a defence official told Reuters on Wednesday.

An armed forces investigation of the crash, which killed both pilots aboard the helicopter, found that neither a technical defect nor material fatigue were to blame, according to the official who has seen the report.