Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando at Thun Field AFB
Date & Time:
Feb 16, 1963 at 1826 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N616Z
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ogden-Hill – Malmstrom – McChord – Portland – Ogden-Hill
MSN:
22590
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
VK060
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
1133.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
300
Aircraft flight hours:
17683
Circumstances:
Zantop Air Transport, Inc., LOGAIR Flight 60-16 (VK060), a Curtiss C-40F, N616Z, crashed following an attempt to land on runway 17 at Thun Field, near Puyallup, Washington, at 1826 P.s.t., February 16, 1963. Both crew members survived the crash but were severely injured. There were no other occupants. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire. An engine malfunction seven minutes after takeoff from McChord AFB, Washington, was followed by an unsuccessful attempt to feather the propeller and by intermittent overspeeding. During an attempted go-around from the landing approach the pilot lost control of the aircraft and crashed in a pasture approximately one-half tile northeast of Thun Field.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the improper handling of an emergency situation, precipitated by a mechanical malfunction, which resulted in an unsuccessful single engine go-around. A contributing factor was the failure of Radar Approach Control to provide complete, accurate airfield data to the pilot.
Final Report:
