Incident Overview
An aircraft operating from Palaly Airport experienced a catastrophic engine failure shortly after takeoff. During the initial climb, the left engine exploded. The flight crew immediately declared an emergency and received clearance to return to the airport.
Final Approach and Crash
As the aircraft approached the runway on a short final leg, it went out of control and crashed approximately 200 meters short of the runway. The impact resulted in a massive explosion. All 45 occupants, including 40 soldiers and two civilians, were killed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the left engine explosion was caused by the aircraft being struck by a surface-to-air missile. The missile was attributed to Tamil separatists.