Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando near Nanyuan AFB: 59 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 16, 1945 at 1130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44-78591
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hankou – Nanyuan
MSN:
22414
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
59
Circumstances:
On approach to Nanyuan AFB located south of Beijing, the crew encountered poor visibility with low clouds down to 300 feet. About 25 km northwest of the airport, the aircraft hit a radio antenna (about 300 meters high) and crashed in a field. All 59 occupants were killed. It appears that the pilot were unable to locate the antenna due the low visibility, and the antenna was not mentioned on any navigation chart.
