Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando near Hindhead: 31 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1945 at 1254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77839
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
33235
YOM:
1945
Location:
Hindhead
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight to the US, repatriating wounded US soldiers. It was scheduled to make a stopover at RAF Greenham Common near Newbury, Berkshire. Starting the descent, the crew encountered low visibility with clouds to 600 feet. While flying in a mountainous area, the twin engine aircraft hit a radar antenna, lost its right wing and crashed in flames on a hut located on Mt Gibbet located near Hindhead, Surrey. All 30 occupants and one person in hut were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt John N. Boyce Jr.,
1st Lt Herbert R. Chickering.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew started the approach in visual mode in IMC. The aircraft hit a 70 meters high radar antenna that was not visible because it was not equipped with lights. Also, the crew was unaware of the presence of the antenna as it was not showed on any charts.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando near Wilmington: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77861
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
33257
YOM:
1945
Location:
Wilmington
East Sussex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Wilmington, East Sussex, killing both pilots, 1st Lt Sidney J. Gibson and S/Sgt James F. Maloney.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando near Turkey: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1945 at 1344 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77706
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sedalia – San Antonio
MSN:
33102
YOM:
1945
Location:
Turkey
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew left Sedalia AFB, Missouri, in good weather conditions, bound for San Antonio-Brooks Field. Enroute, weather conditions worsened, forcing the pilot to continue in instrument flight rules. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a canyon located north of Turkey. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Thomas G. Anderson,
2nd Lt Ernest F. Crow Jr.,
Sgt Henry V. Curran,
2nd Lt Paul Julian Entres,
2nd Lt Forrest M. Faulkner,
2nd Lt Richard A. Gildersleeve,
2nd Lt Robert A. Gray,
1st Lt Edward T. Kelly,
Cpt Brown G. Middleton Jr.,
Cpl Edward J. Shields Jr.,
F/O Hollis K. Smith.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Hesdin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77653
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
33049
YOM:
1944
Location:
Hesdin
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in the forest of Hesdin, two km north of the village of Hesdin, while on a supply mission. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Ned Driggers,
1st Lt Edward C. Koenig,
T/Sgt Francis V. Walsh.

Crash of a Curtiss R5C-1 Commando near Shanghai

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
39512
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26712
YOM:
1943
Location:
Shanghai
Shanghai
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed southwest of Shanghai-Kiangwan Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando in Bergstrom AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1945 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77432
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bergstrom - Bergstrom
MSN:
32828
YOM:
1944
Location:
Austin-Bergstrom
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The C-46 took off from Bergstrom Field on a glider-tow mission. It was towing a Waco CG-4A glider on takeoff from runway 17L when the nr.1 engine began cutting out. The instructor reduced power a little, which seemed to help. The crew were nearing the point were they would release the glider when the nr.2 engine began to loose power. They radioed Bergstrom Field that they would be returning with one engine out after glider release. The controller at Bergstrom Field saw the engine was on fire and instructed the crew to release the glider immediately. The glider pilot had also noted the fire and released the glider himself. The C-46 continued for an emergency landing. The crew were not able to put out the fire. The instructor told the other crew members to bail out from low altitude (750 feet). One crew member made it out but his parachute failed to deploy in time. The airplane struck terrain and crashed in flames following separation of the nr.2 engine.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles Bailey,
Pfc Gerald E. Borchard,
Pvt Robert Borge,
Cpl Arthur H. Carroll Jr.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando near Burnet: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1945 at 2205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77721
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bergstrom - Bergstrom
MSN:
33117
YOM:
1945
Location:
Burnet
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left Bergstrom AFB at 2031LT for a local night training mission. Enroute, the twin engine aircraft crashed on hilly terrain at an altitude of 1,500 feet, some 8 miles northwest of Burnet. The wreckage was found four days later and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt Ross A. Capparelli,
2nd Lt Herbert D. Fleming,
2nd Lt Willard E. Jacobson,
T/Sgt Francis J. Pombert.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Charleroi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77535
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
32931
YOM:
1944
Location:
Charleroi-Brussels South (Gosselies)
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Charleroi, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
S/Sgt William G. Carter,
T/Sgt George E. Morris,
1st Lt Vincent K. Prince.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando in Malir: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
43-46995
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
66
YOM:
1944
Location:
Karachi
Sindh (سنڌ سندھ)
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Karachi Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in the district of Malir. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
T/Sgt Clarence J. Franczok,
Maj Charles W. Gatschet.
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