Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Gold Run: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Jun 22, 1945 at 2337 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-107339
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Reno – Long Beach
MSN:
27026
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Reno on a high level training flight bound for Long Beach, California. Enroute, weather conditions worsened and the captain decided to return to Reno. Few minutes later, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in the American River Canyon located in Gold Run. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed. There are conflicting versions about the reason of occurrence as one revealed that the loss of control was caused by an explosion in the right wing and the separation of both wings shortly later, and the second version mentioned a fire in the cockpit.
