Date & Time:
Sep 12, 1995 at 0720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-32
Operator:
Registration:
CR-861
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Colombo - Palaly
MSN:
35 02
YOM:
1995
Country:
Sri Lanka
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
70
Pax fatalities:
70
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
75
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Colombo-Ratmalana Airport on a flight to the Palaly AFB (Jaffna), carrying 70 soldiers and five crew members. Few minutes after takeoff, the crew declared an emergency and reported technical problems with the instruments. After being cleared to return, the pilot-in-command initiated a turn at an altitude of 8,000 feet when the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea about 40 km north-northwest of Ratmalana Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 75 occupants were killed. It was reported that weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor with thunderstorm activity.
