Commando 42-96716
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96716
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30378
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU914
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
August 1944 to October 1944
42-96716 - USAAF (USA)
28 August 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Assigned to the 3rd Operational Training Unit (3 OTU), based at the 565th AAF Base Unit, Reno AAF, NV.
26 October 1944
Damaged beyond repair over Reno AAF, NV in a midair collision. (7/7 + 5 fatalities).
Crew:
2nd Lt Olin T. Jackson, Pilot
1st Lt Irvin F Hoeper
Flt Off Robert F Johnson
TSgt James F Smith
SSgt Frederick E Urweider, Jr
Cpl Henry J Long, Jr
PFC Donald H Kraft
The crew was engaged in a circular training mission at Reno AAF. After completing a tour around the airport, the crew started the published instrument letdown by night when it was struck by another USAAF Commando registered 41-12357 and carrying a crew of five. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control and crashed few miles from the airport. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 12 crew members were killed.
Surveyed.
1 January 1945
Reclamation completed.