Commando 43-46978

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando

USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-46978

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 49

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK26

FATE: Written off

  August 1944 to November 1945

  43-46978 - USAAF (USA)

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25 August 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Louisville, KY.

Assigned to I Troop Carrier Command based at Baer Field, IN.

Remained within the continental USA.

  November 1945 to 1947

  43-46978 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

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6 November 1945

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR. [erroneously dated on 11 June 1945 by JB and other sources]

  1947 to unknown date

  CU-C241 - SERVICIOS AEREOS SA (CUBA)

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1947

Purchased.

  Unknown date to 1950

  CU-P241 - SERVICIOS AEREOS SA (CUBA)

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Unknown date

Reregistered.

  1950 to February 1951

  HK-333 - LANSA (LINEAS AEREAS NACIONALES SA) (COLOMBIA)

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1950

Purchased.

14 February 1951

Damaged beyond repair near Yali, Colombia in a CFIT (2/2 fatalities).

Crew:
Franklin H. Schryer, Captain
Augusto Merlano, First Officer

The Commando was operating a cargo flight from Medellin to Barranquilla with only two pilots onboard. It took off at 1418 LT from Medellin. Once enroute, it hit a mountain slope 12 km from Yali. Both crewmembers were killed and the plane was destroyed on impact.

 

Right: an article in Spanish describing HK-333's accident.
Photo credit: El Tiempo, 14 February 1951