Commando 42-61069
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-41-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-61069
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 26944
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU584
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
April 1944 to April 1946
42-61069 - USAAF (USA)
24 April 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
25 May 1944
Assigned to ATC North African Wing.
20 October 1944
Assigned to ATC India-China Division.
Unknown date
Assigned to Karachi, Sindh, India.
April 1946 to 1956 1956 to May 1957
N????? - WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMPORT EXPORT COMPANY (USA)
1956
Purchased and ferried from India to Miami, FL.
May 1957 to August 1957
PP-LEH - LOIDE AEREO NACIONAL (BRAZIL)
31 May 1957
Purchased. [date unconfirmed]
August 1957 to June 1959
PP-BTF - PARAENSE TRANSPORTES AEREOS (BRAZIL)
23 August 1957
Purchased.
5 March 1958
Registered.
20 June 1959
Damaged beyond repair near Belem, Brazil in an accident after takeoff (7/7 fatalities).
Crew:
Nilton Arantes de Castro, Captain
Rene Aracati de Barros, First Officer
José Rodrigues Monteiro, Radio
The Commando took off at dawn from Belem, bound for Sao Luis, Brazil. It was carrying 4 tons of cargo, 3 crew, 3 passengers, and the 6-year old son of the First Officer. During the climb, after reaching 6,000 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a large explosion.
[PL & JB have this aircraft going twice through Western Hemisphere & Paraense, using registration PP-LEC just like CN 33304… Highly unlikely]