SLAF Y-8 crashes

Five airmen dead in plane crash, ministry appoints committee to probe the incident
[ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka]

Aug 15, Kalutara: The Ministry of Defence has appointed a four-member court of inquiry headed by the SLAF director of operations to investigate the plane crash that occurred in the Kalutara area this afternoon.

The Ministry of Defence says the exact cause of the crash has not yet been established.

According to the release issued by the ministry, a Y-8 aircraft took off with five crew members from Ratmalana on an air test mission at 12.25 PM. After a few minutes of flying, the crew contacted the tower to report a fire in one of the four engines. While it was returning to Ratmalana for a landing, it crashed into a paddy field in the Nagoda area south of Kalutara town.

According to the initial information, the aircraft had burst into flames. Rescue teams and fire vehicles from Katukurunda and Ratmalana have been dispatched to the location by air and ground.

Squadron leaders De Silva and Thomas, Flying Lt. Rajapakse, and Sergeants Gunaratne and Jayasiri were on board when the accident occurred.

The Defence Ministry says that so far no survivors have been reported but assures that there were no civilian casualties. The SLAF acquired this Y-8 aircraft in May 1993.

Chinese-built Sri Lankan air force plane crashes
Associated Press, Thu August 15, 2002 04:08 EDT .

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – (AP) A Sri Lankan air force cargo plane crashed Thursday minutes after it took off from Colombo on a test flight, a military spokesman said. All five crew members were feared dead, Brig. Sanath karunaratne said. The Chinese-built Y-8 aircraft crashed into rice fields near Kalutara, 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Colombo. There were no immediate reports of casualties on the ground, Karunaratne said. “The plane caught fire and we fear that all the five crew members are dead,” he said. The pilot reported engine trouble after he took off and was told to return to the air field, but the jet crashed while trying to return, Karunaratne said.