Commando 42-61027
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-61027
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26902
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU542
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
April 1944 to April 1946
42-61027 - USAAF (USA)
18 April 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
30 May 1944
Assigned to ATC North African Wing.
15 June 1944
Assigned to ATC India-China Wing.
Unknown date
Assigned to Karachi, Sindh, India.
April 1946 to 1956 1956 to November 1956
N????? - PALM AIRCRAFT SALES (USA)
1956
Purchased.
Probably registered N7779B.
November 1956 to December 1956
YV-T-JTB - RANSA (RUTAS AEREAS NACIONALES SA) (VENEZUELA)
5 November 1956
Leased, probably from Palm Aircraft Sales.
December 1956 to April 1967
N7779B - CORDOVA AIRLINES (USA)
December 1956
Purchased.
5 September 1963
Received major damage in Anchorage, AK in a landing accident (no fatalities). [NTSB ANC64A0012]
The Commando was operating a cargo flight back to the company's Anchorage base, in the early morning hours. On approach, the hydraulic ground service pressure line cap failed, and the crew had to lower the landing gear manually. The right gear down light microswitch malfunctioned, and the crew landed with the right gear not properly locked. The right gear collapsed shortly after touchdown.
Right: N7779B wearing the red Cordova fuselage stripe.
Photo credit: Kenny Smith, "Airplanes in the Wrangell, Mergers"
Below: N7779B, unknown date & location
Photo credit: NA3T / www.na3t.org
April 1967 to December 1967
December 1967 to September 1969
CP-834 - SANIA (BOLIVIA)
December 1967
Purchased.
6 September 1969
Damaged beyond repair in Caranavi, Bolivia in unknown circumstances.