The Curtiss Commando Page
The Curtiss Commando Page

Commando 42-96666

Aircraft Identification

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96666

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30328

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU864

FATE: Written off

Operational Record

  August 1944

  42-96666 - USAAF (USA)


15 August 1944

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

  August 1944 to 1960

  39551 - US MARINE CORPS (USA)


15 August 1944

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

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

6 September 1944

Assigned to VMR-953, based at Corvallis AAF, OR.

30 September 1944

Moved with VMR-953 to MCAS Ewa, HI.

Operated flights extending into Pacific combat areas including Leyte in December 1944 and Okinawa in May 1945.

21 January 1946

Assigned to Marine Fleet Air, West Coast.

February 1946

Assigned to MAG-35 Service Squadron (Servron-35).

March 1946

Assigned to NAS San Diego, CA.

22 July 1946

Reconditioned at NAS San Diego, CA.

26 July 1946

Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ.

  1960 to 1964

  N4160A - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)


1960

Purchased.

  1964 to December 1964

  N608Z - ZANTOP AIR TRANSPORT (USA)


1964

Purchased. [date reported as 1962 by PL only]

30 December 1964

Damaged beyond repair in New Boston, MI in an approach accident (4/4 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a night cargo flight between Cleveland, OH and Detroit Wayne County, MI. It was cleared for a runway 03L ILS approach into Detroit in poor weather: sky obscured, visibility 1 mile, light drizzle. During the approach, at 2.4 km right of the ILS course and 1.6 km NE of the Outer Marker, the aircraft suddenly entered a 45° bank left turn. The bank angle exceeded 60° as the plane crossed the localizer course. The aircraft struck several tall trees in an 8° nose down and 30° right bank attitude, then struck the ground and disintegrated.

The cause for the loss of control on the night instrument approach was not determined. Pilot incapacitation was ruled out by postmortem examinations.

Total airframe time 7,385 hours.

Last edited: 18/02/2020