Zone
Assam

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-55-CK near Chabua AFB

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
43-47165
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
236
YOM:
1945
Location:
Chabua AFB (Dibrugarh)
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, a technical failure occurred on one engine. The crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed 24 km southeast of Chabua AFB. While the aircraft was destroyed, both pilots were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Chabua AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-61018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26893
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chabua AFB (Dibrugarh)
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed near the Chabua Airbase, killing at least one crew member, 2nd Lt John L. Cain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando near Shin Bway Yang

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-24746
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chabua - Kunming
MSN:
26667
YOM:
1943
Location:
Shin Bway Yang
Kachin State
Country:
Myanmar
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reason 30 miles southwest of Shin Bway Yang. There were no casualties.

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 Douglas C-47-DL near Jorhat: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-7797
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Calcutta – Chabua
MSN:
4289
YOM:
1942
Location:
Jorhat
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed for unknown reason some 50 km south of Jorhat, killing all three crew members that were performing a cargo flight from Calcutta-Dum Dum Airport to Chabua AFB.
Crew:
F/O Donald W. Mangino,
2nd Lt Harrison McDonald Jr.,
1st Lt Paul L. Updyke.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in Chabua AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-3661
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26794
YOM:
1944
Location:
Chabua AFB (Dibrugarh)
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Chabua AFB, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 6,5 km east of the airfield. All four crew members were killed.

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

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
41-24709
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26630
YOM:
1943
Location:
Chabua AFB (Dibrugarh)
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Belly landed for unknown reason. No casualties.

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

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-60993
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
26868
YOM:
1944
Location:
Dinjan
Assam
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While descending to Chabua AFB, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Dinjan. At least one crew member was killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-75-CO Liberator near Wakro: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-100184
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yankai - Chabua
MSN:
3333
Location:
Wakro
Arunachal Pradesh
Country:
India
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from Yankai, China, to Chabua AFB. Some 30 minutes prior to the ETA, the four engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a mountainous terrain located in the region of Wakro. All 9 occupants were killed. The three passengers were on their way home.
Crew (308th Bomb Group):
1/Lt Robert W. King, pilot,
Lt John B. Byron, copilot,
1/Lt Eugene L. Bernstein, navigator,
T/Sgt Robert R. Riley, flight engineer and air gunner,
T/Sgt John J. Reagan, radio operator and air gunner,
S/Sgt Garland J. Reed, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpt Thomas H. Clare,
S/Sgt Raymond J. Bridge,
Cpl Merle L. Pickup.
Photos available on
http://www.miarecoveries.org/gal13_B-24J_42-100184.html
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