SLAF training aircraft crashes off China Bay: Two killed

By Norman Palihawadana

Trainee pilot K M P M Warnasooriya and instructor H M T K Herath died when a PT 6 aircraft crashed off China Bay airfield yesterday.

SLAF Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa told The Island that the aircraft had crash-landed two minutes after taking off from China Bay.

The ill-fated aircraft took off at 11.25 am.

PT 6 is a Chinese built fixed wing aircraft in service with the SLAF for many years. Sri Lanka acquired PT 6 aircraft during the war and after.

The SLAF Chief suspected a technical fault though a formal investigation was underway.