Incident Overview
While on approach to Papaly Airport, the captain of a twin-engine aircraft contacted air traffic control and requested an increase in the intensity of the approach lights. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea, a few kilometers short of the runway. All 63 occupants on board were killed.
Official Findings
The probable cause, as determined by the official investigation, is that the aircraft was shot down by a shell fired by soldiers from the 'Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam'. No further details regarding the sequence of events or other contributing factors have been provided in the source material.