Commando 42-101184

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-101184

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30639

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1175

FATE: Written off

  October 1944 to November 1944

  42-101184 - USAAF (USA)

6 October 1944

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

Assigned to the 4^th Combat Cargo Group, 13^th Combat Cargo Squadron based at Bowman Field, KY.

12 November 1944

Ferried from Morrison Field, FL towards Sylhet, Bengal, India.

Crew:
1^st Lt. Harold S. Falkenberg, Pilot
2^nd Lt. William H. Kirby, Copilot
SSgt. Frank Potier, Crew Chief
Sgt. Aaron L. Hall, Radio Operator

23 November 1944

Damaged beyond repair in Kano, Nigeria in a landing accident (0/14 fatalities).

Crew: as above.

The Commando was performing a ferry leg from Accra, Ghana to Kano, Nigeria on its USA-to-India journey, along with other Commandos of the 13^th Combat Cargo Squadron. During the flight, one of the engines failed. As the aircraft was coming into Kano for an emergency landing, a British Douglas Dakota cut ahead of them. The crew attempted to perform a go around, however when power was increased on the remaining engine, it quit. The Commando pancaked onto the runway. The main gear wheels broke off, flew back and tore a hole in the fuselage near the base of the stabilizer. The aircraft skidded on the runway, and then veered off into the vegetation alongside. As soon as the plane stopped, all the hatches were opened and the passengers and crew evacuated the plane.

Condemned for salvage by the Ferry Command.