Commando 42-101059

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-101059

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30514

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1050

FATE: Written off

  September 1944

  42-101059 - USAAF (USA)

15 September 1944

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

  September 1944 to unknown date

  39567 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)

15 September 1944

Transferred as R5C-1 and delivered to NAS San Diego, CA.

30 September 1944

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

December 1944

Assigned to VMR-352, probably based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

January 1945

Assigned to Homeland Defense Network (HDN), MAG-35.

June 1946

Assigned to VMR-253, based at MCAS Miramar, CA.

November 1946

Assigned to VMR-152, probably based in Northern China.

January 1947

Assigned to MAG-25 Service Squadron (Servron-25).

February 1947

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

21 August 1947

Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.

September 1947

Assigned to VMR-352, based at MCAS Ewa, HI.

October 1947

Assigned to VMR-153, based at MCAS Tsingtao, Shandong, China.

Unknown date

Withdrawn from use and stored.

  Unknown date to November 1956

  N7759B - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)

Unknown date

Purchased.

Converted to Super 46C.

  November 1956 to April 1957

  N7759B - AAXICO (USA)

28 November 1956

Purchased.

5 November 1957

Registration cancelled for export.

  April 1957 to February 1958

  LV-PEU - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)

1 April 1957

Purchased.

  February 1958 to January 1959

  LV-GED - COMPANIA AUSTRAL DE TRANSPORTES AEREOS SACI (ARGENTINA)

27 February 1958

Reregistered and christened “Petrel”.

16 January 1959

Damaged beyond repair 1 km off Mar del Plata, Argentina in a go-around accident (51/52 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata with 5 crewmembers and 47 passengers onboard. Departure was delayed by 35 minutes due to bad weather at destination. The plane finally took off from Buenos Aires at 1950 LT under IFR. Arriving near Mar del Plata, the flight was cleared for a runway 12 approach and landing. The aircraft flew over the runway threshold at 300 feet and attempted to land. However, it overshot without even touching the runway and a missed approach procedure was carried out. Instead of climbing, the Commando descended gradually into the sea and crashed about 1.2 km offshore. Only one passenger survived, with severe injuries.

The cause of the accident was attributed to the non-observance of the missed approach procedure, and the attempt to continue flying visually at night in unfavorable weather conditions. Contributing factors were the lack of familiarity of the pilot with the airport, the unserviceable airport radio beacon, poor lighting due to the weather conditions and the unsatisfactory dispatching of the aircraft by the operator.

Right: a poor, yet rare shot of LV-GED, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: unknown / loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com