Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Belén: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Southern Cross Airways
Registration:
N68823
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Arica – Puerto Suarez
MSN:
26818
YOM:
1944
Location:
Belén
Región de Arica y Parinacota
Country:
Chile
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Arica on a cargo flight to Puerto Suarez, overloaded by 1,000 pounds. En route, while overflying the Andes Mountains, the right engine lost power. As the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he decided to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane struck stone walls and crashed in flames near Belén. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the failure of the right engine failure could not be determined with certainty. However as a result of it the exhaust valve of the number 10 cylinder had failed from its piston beating against the spark plugs and cylinder head.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando near Mérida: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1959 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-LBI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mérida – Lagunillas – Maracaibo
MSN:
33411
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mérida
Mérida
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Mérida-Alberto Carnevalli Airport at 1505LT on a charter flight to Maracaibo with an intermediate stop at Lagunillas. After takeoff, while approaching El Callejon Pass at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the crew realized it would not be possible to clear the pass and decided to modify his route. Vertical to Ejido, the captain made a 180 turn, modified his heading to 030° and continued to the northeast. Few minutes later, while cruising in clouds at an altitude of 13,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of La Culata Peak and was destroyed upon impact. The wreckage was found few hours later and all four occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to flying the aircraft at insufficient altitude over an area apparently unfamiliar to the pilot.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando off Mar del Plata: 51 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1959 at 2140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
LV-GED
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Buenos Aires – Mar del Plata
MSN:
30514
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AU205
Location:
Mar del Plata
Buenos Aires province
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
47
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
51
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport at 1950LT with a delay of 35 minutes due to bad weather at destination. Following an uneventful flight, the captain obtained the permission to land on runway 12 at Mar del Plata-Brigadier General Bartolomé de la Colina Airport, passed over the threshold at a height of 85 meters and overshot. The captain decided to make a go around when control was lost. The airplane stalled and crashed into the sea about 1,2 km offshore. A passenger was seriously injured while all 51 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed during a missed approach procedure to observe the instrument flight procedure and attempted to continue visual flight by night in unfavourable weather conditions. The aircraft then lost altitude and descended into the sea. Contributing factors were:
- As the pilot was not familiar with the airport in this type of operation, he miscalculated during the instrument approach procedure,
- The pilot's temporarily confused mental state, when he found himself in this critical situation, affected his capability and skill,
- The radio beacon was out of service and the lighting was poor because of the weather conditions at the time of the approach,
- Unsatisfactory dispatching of the aircraft by the operator.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando on Panther Peak: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
California Air Freight
Registration:
N1240N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Burbank – Seattle
MSN:
22404
YOM:
1945
Location:
Panther Peak
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising in marginal weather conditions at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the airplane struck trees and crashed on the slope of the Panther Peak. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the crew was not following the assigned route from Burbank to Seattle-Tacoma Airport for unknown reason. Apparently following a navigation error, the aircraft was 45 miles to the east from the intended route and at an insufficient altitude of 8,500 feet instead of the minimum 14,500 feet required.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
PP-LDH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
30350
YOM:
1944
Location:
Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Due to foggy conditions, the Santos Dumont Airport was closed to trafic and the crew diverted to Galeão Airport where the passengers disembarked. When the weather conditions improved, the crew was able to complete a short ferry flight back from Galeão to Santos Dumont. After touchdown on runway 02, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and plunged into the Guanabara Bay. All five crew members were injured and the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando in Moyobamba

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
OB-QAL-487
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26656
YOM:
1943
Location:
Moyobamba
San Martín
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest against a radio mast. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando near Fort Collins: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
N1301N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Denver - Ogden-Hill
MSN:
22480
YOM:
1945
Location:
Fort Collins
Colorado
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Denver-Stapleton to Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 8,700 feet in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Fort Collins. The wreckage was found few hours later and both pilots were killed. At the time of the accident, weather was poor with icing conditions and turbulences. It is believed the airplane lost altitude until it impacted terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Buenos Aires

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1958 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
LV-FTP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires
MSN:
30356
YOM:
1944
Location:
Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini
Buenos Aires City
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, prior to V1 speed, the left engine failed. The crew decided to shut down the engine and to feather the propeller when the airplane overran, struck obstacles and crashed in flames. All four crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The cause of the failure on the left engine could not be determined. However, the instructor was blamed to perform a training mission which such aircraft at Ezeiza Airport as the runway was considered as too short for this kind of mission. Thus, when the engine failed, the available distance was insufficient.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando in Medellín

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1958 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
HK-514
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Medellín – Bogotá
MSN:
30363
YOM:
1944
Location:
Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera
Antioquia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport runway 02, while in initial climb, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The crew attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland where the airplane crash landed. Both crew members were uninjured while the C-46 was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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