Pilot killed as SLAF training aircraft crash lands at Kantale

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

An SLAF PT-6 Aircraft which left China Bay in Trincomalee, made a crash-landing in a paddy field near the Janaranjana Wewa, Sooriyapura in Kantale yesterday killing its pilot. 

 Police said only the pilot was on board the craft at the time of crash-landing.  

Meanwhile, SLAF Spoekseman said the aircraft went missing from the radar screen last afternoon.  
It was reported that when the aircraft crashed, a group of farmers who were nearby had  attempted to save the pilot.  Police said the body of the pilot which was strapped to the seat of the aircraft, was removed to the Trincomalee Hospital.   

Following the plane crash, another SLAF helicopter had been despatched to the scene to conducted a search.  
The deceased has been identified as K.R.S.V.D. Amarakoon, a trainee pilot from Kegalle.  PT-6 aircraft is a single-engine, tandem seat propeller trainer capable of performing primary flight training. In 2018, the SLAF received six brand new PT-6 Aircraft from the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) for primary training of the SLAF. 

• PT-6 aircraft is a single-engine, tandem seat propeller trainer capable of performing primary flight training