Air Force Commander appoints special investigation committee to probe crash of trainer jet aircraft

Air Force Commander Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe has appointed a special investigation committee to probe the cause of a crash involving a K-8 trainer jet earlier yesterday. The aircraft, used for advanced pilot training, crashed in the Wariyapola area of Kurunegala during a routine training exercise.

The K-8 aircraft, which is assigned to the No. 05 Fighter Squadron at the SLAF Base in Katunayake, took off at approximately 07:27 AM from the base. However, it lost radar contact and crashed around 07:55 AM in a coconut plantation in Minuwangate, Wariyapola.

The two pilots, aboard the aircraft, Chief Training Instructor Pilot Sudarshan Bandara and Trainee Pilot Dawulagala, managed to eject from the aircraft using parachutes, descending safely to the ground without any injuries. They landed near Minuwangate College in Padeniya, Kurunegala, and were promptly rescued by local residents. The pilots were then transported to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

The aircraft, a K-8 jet manufactured in China, was destroyed upon impact with the ground and caught fire. Firefighters, along with the Wariyapola Police, responded to the scene, working to extinguish the burning crashed aircraft.

The Sri Lanka Air Force has taken immediate steps to investigate the incident. A seven-member Special Investigation Committee has been assigned to determine the cause of the crash. Additionally, security has been deployed at the crash site, and the Air Force has confirmed that the aircraft’s black box is being recovered to aid in the investigation.

Although the exact cause of the crash remains unknown, investigations have already revealed that two other SLAF aircraft, which were also made in China, crashed and were destroyed over the past three years. The Air Force is continuing to examine all factors that may have contributed to the crash.

By Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randunu