Aviation Sri Lanka 

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Date:                04.12.1974             

Type:               McDonnell Douglas DC-8-55F        

Operator:        Martinair Holland     

Year built:       1966       

Total airframe hrs      35613 hours      

Crew:              9 fatalities / 9 on board      

Passengers:    182 fatalities / 182 on board      

Total:              191 fatalities / 191 on board      

Location:         Laxapana Hill       

Phase:             Initial Approach               

Nature:            Non Scheduled Passenger              

Remarks:

The aircraft, on a haj flight from Surabaya to Jeddah (via Katunayake) was cleared to 2000ft after reporting between 7000-6000ft when 14 miles out. The aircraft later crashed into a mountain. PROBABLE CAUSE: "Collision with rising terrain as the crew descended the aircraft below safe altitude owing to incorrect identification of their position. The investigation is of the opinion that this was the result of dependence on Doppler and Weather Radar Systems on board. 

Date:                07.09.1978             

Type:               Hawker Siddeley HS-748-212 Srs. 2  

          

Operator:         Air Ceylon    

Year built:       1964       

Crew:              0 fatalities / 2 on board      

Passengers:    0 fatalities / 0 on board      

Total:              0 fatalities / 2 on board      

Location:        Colombo-Ratmalana   

Phase:            Ground   

Nature:           Ferry      

Flight:            (Flight number )       

Remarks:

The pilot and first officer were carrying out pre-departure checks when loud explosion in the mid-section of the fuselage caused a fire. (LTTE bomb attack). 

Date:                15.11.1978             

Time:               23.30      

Type:               McDonnell Douglas DC- 8-63CF  

      

Operator:         Loftleidir            

Year built:        1968       

Crew:               8 fatalities / 13 on board      

Passengers:     175 fatalities / 249 on board      

Total:               183 fatalities / 262 on board      

Location:         Colombo-Bandaranaike IAP

Phase:             Final Approach               

Nature:            Non Scheduled Passenger              

Flight:              Jeddah-King Abdul Aziz IAP - Colombo-Bandaranaike IAP (Flight number )       

Remarks:

The DC-8, on a haj flight to Surabaya, crashed into a coconut plantation,1 mile short of the runway 22.  Visibility was 6km; 300m cloud base; light/moderate rain with thunderstorms in the area.  "The flight crew's failure to conform with the laid down approach procedures. The co-pilot failed to provide the captain with the required altitude and sink rate call outs at various levels. The sink rate was very excessive during most of the descent. The captain failed to initiate a missed approach procedure at the appropriate height when the runway was not visible. When he commenced the overshoot, the aircraft had already descended too low. Erroneous information supplied by the radar controller and the lack of an operational approach lighting system at Bandaranaike were contributing factorsPlease refer the full report.

Date:               03.06.1986       

Type:              Lockheed L-1011 Tri Star 100  

Operator:        Air Lanka     

Year built:      1974       

Crew:             0 fatalities / on board                

Passengers:   14 fatalities / on board

Total:             14 fatalities / 128 on board      

Location:       Colombo-Katunayake APT

Phase:           Ground   

Nature:          Scheduled Passenger           

Flight:            Colombo-Katunayake APT - Male IAP (Flight number )       

Remarks:

The 'City of Colombo' was damaged during the loading of the plane for the flight to Male. This caused some delay. During the boarding of the plane a bomb, hidden in the aircraft's 'Fly Away Kit', exploded.