COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO PROBE CRASH: SLAF

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Trainee Pilot of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) PT-6 Trainer Aircraft that crashed near the Janranjana Tank in Sooriyapura, Kantale on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 15), passed away, Sri Lanka Air Force confirmed. "Officer Cadet K.R.S.V.B. Amarakoon, the trainee pilot aboard this flight was airlifted to the District General Hospital - Trincomalee by SLAF Bell-212 Helicopter by medical and rescue personnel of Sri Lanka Air Force; where it was proclaimed that he had sustained injuries and died during the crash," Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe, SLAF Spokesperson told News 1st on Tuesday evening (Dec. 15). The Late Officer Cadet Amarakoon who joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in January 2019, was a past pupil of Kegalle Maha Vidyalaya. Sri Lanka Air Force PT-6 Trainer Aircraft with one pilot that left China Bay in Trincomalee on a solo training mission, initially lost contact with Ground Control while flying over Kantale and was later confirmed to have crashed in the Sooriyapura area in Kantale. "PT-6 Trainer Aircraft belongs to No-01 Flying Training Wing at the Air Force Academy China Bay crashed today near the Janaranjana tank in Sooriyapura, Kantale. The site is approximately 14 nautical miles away from Air Force Academy China Bay. The aircraft, which took off from the China Bay Air Field around 1305hrs today(15) had lost radio communication with the Air Traffic Control Tower at China Bay approximately 1315hrs before being reported to have crashed," Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe elaborated. According to the Sri Lanka Air Force, there was no damage to public property or any other person due to the crash. "Further on the instructions of the Commander of the Air Force - Air Marshal Sudharshana Pathirana, a Board of Investigation has been appointed to probe the crash," Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe further noted. The official statement issued by Sri Lanka Air Force later on Tuesday evening (Dec. 15) is as follows... "SLAF PT-6 CRASH IN KANTALE A PT-6 trainer aircraft belonging to the No. 1 Flying Training Wing at SLAF Academy China Bay crashed today near the Janaranjana Tank in Sooriyapura, Kantale. The site is approximately 14 nautical miles away from SLAF Academy China Bay and the pilot of the aircraft was a trainee Officer Cadet who was on a solo training mission. The aircraft which took off from the China Bay airfield at around 1305 Hrs today had lost radio communication with the air traffic control tower at China Bay at approximately 1315 Hrs before being reported to have crashed. There was no damage to public property or any other persons due to the crash. Further, on the instructions of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana a Board of Investigation has been appointed to carry out an investigation into the incident. A SLAF Bell 212 helicopter with medical and rescue personnel was deployed immediately to the crash site. Officer Cadet Amarakoon KRSVB who was the trainee pilot on this training flight was airlifted to the District General Hospital Trincomalee, where it was proclaimed that he had succumbed to injuries sustained during the crash. Officer Cadet Amarakoon was a past pupil of Kegalle Maha Vidyalaya and had joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in January 2019. He had commenced his flying training in July of the same year. DIRECTOR MEDIA 15 December 2020"