Investigation Summary
The shootdown of CR835 marked a significant escalation in the Sri Lankan Civil War, as it was the first of two Avro 748 aircraft lost to Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS), specifically the SA-7, within a 24-hour period. The aircraft took off from Palaly in heavy rain, a common weather condition in the region that may have provided some visual cover for the attackers but did not prevent the heat-seeking missile from tracking the engine exhaust. Following the missile strike, which sources identify as hitting the No. 2 engine, the crew declared an emergency and initiated a turn to return to the base. As the aircraft stabilized on short final, the structural integrity of the wing, weakened by the explosion and subsequent fire, failed completely. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled roll and crashed just short of the runway threshold. This event, followed by the shootdown of sister aircraft CR834 the next morning, forced the Sri Lanka Air Force to temporarily suspend transport flights to the Jaffna peninsula and re-evaluate their defensive measures against shoulder-fired missiles.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the aircraft was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile fired by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The primary cause of the crash was the catastrophic failure of the right wing structure during the emergency approach, which was a direct result of the damage sustained from the missile impact and the resulting engine fire.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Rolls-Royce Dart Engines
The turboprop engines provided the heat signature targeted by the Tamil separatists' infrared-seeking missiles.
Wing Structure
The right wing suffered a catastrophic structural failure on final approach due to damage from the missile explosion and the ensuing fire.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a British Aerospace BAe-748-334 Srs. 2A, manufactured in 1978, with 12,310 airframe hours at the time of the accident.
- 02The crash occurred only 0.2 km from the runway at Jaffna-Palaly Air Force Base.
- 03The occupants included 43 passengers and 4 crew members according to some records, though total soul counts of 45 to 47 are cited across different sources.
- 04This was the first of two SLAF Avro 748s shot down by the LTTE using SA-7 missiles in two consecutive days.
Safety Actions & Advisories
MANPADS Countermeasures
Following the loss of two aircraft to SAMs, the Sri Lanka Air Force began equipping its transport fleet with flare dispensers and revised flight profiles to minimize exposure to ground-based threats.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Conflicting Reports on Impact Site
Reference ↗There is a documented discrepancy between sources regarding which engine was struck by the missile. The Aviation Safety Network and the aircraft's timeline indicate the No. 2 (right) engine was hit, leading to a right-wing failure. However, other historical summaries and local reports suggest the No. 1 (left) engine was the site of the explosion and fire.