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 factors
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.
