Commando 41-12343

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 41-12343

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26470

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU110

FATE: Written off

  April 1943 to August 1943

  41-12343 - USAAF (USA)

12 April 1943

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

Assigned to the 2^nd Operational Training Unit (2 OTU) based at Homestead AAF, FL.

14 June 1943

Damaged at Homestead AAF, FL when the right main undercarriage collapsed on landing. [date also quoted as 11 June 1943]

8 August 1943

Destroyed at Homestead AAF, FL in an in-flight explosion (4/5 fatalities).

At 19:50, the aircraft took off from Homestead AAF on a local test flight. Eight minutes after takeoff, the left engine caught fire. One of the passengers bailed out as the pilot attempted to return to the airbase for an emergency landing. A few seconds later, the aircraft exploded, dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field located near the airport. All four occupants were killed. It appeared that a leaking or broken fuel line in or adjacent to the wheel well permitted the accumulation of gasoline and fumes within the left wheel well, left center section and left wing. The fumes were ignited by the engine exhaust.

Crew:
Cpt Hewitt F. Mitchell
2^nd Lt Banford L. Russell
Pvt Harry Luberoff