Commando 42-96803
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando
USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 42-96803
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 30465
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1001
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
September 1944 to September 1947
42-96803 - USAAF (USA)
5 September 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
18 November 1944
Assigned to Ladd AAF, AK, probably with the ATC Alaskan Division.
Right & below: 42-96803 in flight, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: www.worldwarphotos.info
February 1948 to June 1948
42-96803 - WAR ASSETS ADMINISTRATION (USA)
20 February 1948
Transferred to the War Assets Administration in Alaska.
23 August 1948
Struck off charge at Elmendorf AFB, AK. [SOC after it had already been sold]
June 1948 to June 1949
N4761C - WIEN ALASKA AIRLINES (USA)
17 June 1948
Purchased as scrap, and used for spares.
[also noted by most sources as HC-SIA of Transandina Ecuador that was DBR on 24 October 1948 in Mexico – that one is very probably a different aircraft though]
June 1949 to December 1949
N4761C - GREAT CIRCLE AVIATION (USA)
16 June 1949
Purchased and stored at Seattle Boeing Field, WA.
October 1950 to November 1950
N4761C - ROBIN AIRLINES (USA)
October 1950
Probably leased from Air Charters Inc.
November 1950 to January 1951
N4761C - AIR CHARTERS INC. (USA)
November 1950
Probably returned from lease contract with Robin Airlines.
January 1951 to February 1951
N4761C - AMERICAN AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
18 January 1951
Purchased. [9 May 1951 to 2 February 1952 according to AB]
February 1951 to January 1952
N4761C - MIAMI AIRCRAFT & ENGINE SALES (USA)
1 February 1951
Purchased.
17 October 1951
Damaged in Philadelphia, PA in a gear collapse on landing. [operated by American Air Transport according to AB]
January 1952 to August 1954
N4761C - PENINSULAR AIR TRANSPORT (USA)
21 January 1952
Purchased.
Right: N4761C with Peninsular.
Photo credit: John Wegg / aviadejavu.ru
Below: A color shot of N4761C in 1952 with Peninsular.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins / WBR
ca 1955
N4761C - SOUTH EAST AIRLINES (USA)
ca 1955
Leased from Aero Maintenance Inc.
30 January 1955
Damaged in Coal City, IL in a belly landing following an engine failure. Repaired.
Right: N4761C in South East Airlines colors, 1955.
Photo credit: Bill Larkins / WBR
ca 1955 to February 1956
N4761C - AERO MAINTENANCE INC. (USA)
ca 1955
Returned from lease contract with South East Airlines.
November 1957 to March 1958
ZP-CBL - PARAGUAY AIR SERVICES (PARAGUAY)
13 November 1957
Leased from Insurance Finance Corporation.
March 1958 to March 1959
N4761C - INSURANCE FINANCE CORPORATION (USA)
March 1958
Returned from lease contract with Paraguay Air Services.
March 1959 to January 1960
N4761C - AVIATION FINANCE INC. (USA)
28 March 1959
Purchased.
7 April 1960
Registration cancelled for export to Colombia.
January 1960 to unknown date
HK-612 - LIDCA (LINEAS AEREAS DEL CARIBE) (COLOMBIA)
27 January 1960
Purchased. [?]
Unknown date to October 1965
HK-613 - SEA COLOMBIA (COLOMBIA)
Unknown date
Purchased.
25 September 1965
Departure delayed after a ramp check showed that several maintenance actions had not been performed.
4 October 1965
Damaged beyond repair near Cucuta, Colombia in an inflight fire (4/4 fatalities).
The Commando was operating a non-scheduled cargo flight between Cucuta and Arauca, Colombia with 3 crew, 1 passenger and 162 crates of beer onboard. Takeoff was performed from runway 20 at 10:42 LT with southeasterly winds of 18kt. The aircraft used more than ¾ of the runway to get airborne, and initiated a turn over the city, returning over the aerodrome to gain height. At 10:58 LT, it reported departure to the southeast, climbing in visual conditions to 7,500ft and estimating Santo Domingo at 11:13 LT. When the aircraft was at approximately 4,500 to 5,000ft, flames were seen coming from the right engine. The crew attempted to return to Cucuta. On its way back the starboard wing and engine were seen tearing off from the aircraft. The rest of the aircraft immediately started to roll slowly to the left and moments later struck the ground on Cerro del Espinazo.
The accident was attributed to a maintenance error consisting in inadequate service and inspection of the right engine, giving rise to a fire in an undetermined part of its accessories section. A contributing factor was a maintenance error consisting in the failure to comply with Technical Directive No. 62-10-2, rewiring the installation of fire protection systems in the engine.
Last edited: 14/05/2022