Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Chanyi: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-96746
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
30408
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chanyi
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed following an engine failure 10 miles northwest of Chanyi, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Charles R. Brumagim,
1st Lt Ray B. Delamater Jr.,
Cpl Francis J. Rourke.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Yunlong

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-96637
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
30299
YOM:
1944
Location:
Yunlong
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located 30 miles northeast of Yunlong. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU in Kunming: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-107328
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
27014
YOM:
1944
Location:
Kunming
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Collided in flight near Kunming-Wujiaba Airport with a USAAF Consolidated C-109 Liberator Express registered 44-49025. The exact circumstances of the inflight collision remains unknown but at least two crew members were killed, 1st Lt George H. Murray in C-46 and Cpt Hobart T. Walker Jr in Liberator.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Karoi: 34 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-107386
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Chabua – Karachi
MSN:
27073
YOM:
1944
Location:
Karoi
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
While cruising some 55 miles west of Jorhat, the crew experienced technical problems and the aircraft caught fire. Out of control, it crashed on the summit of a mountain at an altitude of 2,000 meters and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Only one passenger, T/Sgt Marvin H. Jacobs, survived.
Crew:
Cpt Lawrence C. Archer,
Cpt Kenneth R. Arnette,
Cpl Buster Beck,
1st Lt James W. Brokaw,
S/Sgt Harlan G. Casper,
1st Lt Myron L. Cook,
T/Sgt Allan H. Cousins,
Pvt H. B. Erwin,
T/Sgt Philip Feld,
T/Sgt Robert E. Finks,
1st Lt John A. Flach,
S/Sgt Alva H. Floyd,
Pfc James G. Goodman,
Cpt Thomas J. Harper,
S/Sgt Joseph B. Hewitt Jr.,
S/Sgt Merrill R. Hyde,
T/Sgt Lawrence G. Jacobs,
Sgt Joseph F. Kehrer,
2nd Lt Robert H. Maddox,
Pfc Norman C. Maxfeldt,
1st Lt John F. McDonough Jr.,
S/Sgt David McKissock,
T/Sgt Scott F. Mitchell,
1st Lt Charles B. Moore,
1st Lt Harold B. Morse,
1st Lt Howard S. Pierson,
1st Lt William E. Price,
1st Lt Frederick J. Raubinger,
S/Sgt Ernest B. Schenck,
Cpl Lester F. Sellers,
S/Sgt Forman F. Smith,
F/O Cecil A. Weaver,
1st Lt Louis F. Worland,
1st Lt Marshall Young.

Crash of a Curtiss R5C-1 Commando near Los Angeles: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
39504
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
MSN:
26498
YOM:
1943
Location:
Los Angeles
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances south of Los Angeles, killing all eight crew members. The s/n has not been confirmed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Belle Center: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1945 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-3669
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Buffalo – Wright Patterson
MSN:
26802
YOM:
1944
Location:
Belle Center
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The C-46 transport plane operated on a military cargo flight from Buffalo, NY to Patterson Field, OH carrying 8000 pounds of cargo. A fire started in the area of the fuel cross-feed valve, APU and gasoline heater. The floor structure weakened due to the intense fire and collapsed. The airplane descended on fire and crashed into trees.
Crew:
Cpt James Wyatt Hartzog,
2nd Lt Francis F. Munchrath,
M/Sgt Jacob Oswalt.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450126-1

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Port Lyautey

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
44-77570
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
32966
YOM:
1944
Location:
Port Lyautey
Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Chanyi

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-61020
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26895
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chanyi
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando near Dali

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-107304
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
26991
YOM:
1944
Location:
Dali
Yunnan
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on a mountain slope near Dali following an engine failure. Crew fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando on Siakwan Island

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-96673
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
30335
YOM:
1944
Location:
Siakwan Island (Nanjing)
Jiangsu
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An technical failure of unknown origin forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The pilot performed a belly landing on the Siakwan Island, in the Yangtze River, off Nanjing. While all occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
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