Commando 43-47313
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46A-60-CS Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47313
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 384
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK361
SAINT LOUIS PLANT LINE NUMBER: 2927
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
April 1945 to October 1945
43-47313 - USAAF (USA)
24 April 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Saint Louis, MO.
Assigned to the 1st Operational Training Unit (1 OTU) based at Rosecrans Field, MO.
Right: 43-47313 in flight over the Great Plains.
Photo credit: WorldWarIIIPhotos.info
October 1945 to 1946
43-47313 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)
25 October 1945
Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.
1947 to 1948
March 1949 to March 1950
CX-AMD - L. B. SMITH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (USA)
March 1949
Purchased. [noted by AB as "L. B. Schmit"]
Left: CX-AMD in bare metal finish, unknown date & location.
Photo credit: CatrachoWings
March 1950 to June 1950
CX-AMD - COMPANIA ARGENTINA DE CARGAS AEREAS INTERNACIONALES (ARGENTINA)
March 1950
Leased from L. B. Smith.
June 1950
N79093 - AAXICO (USA)
22 June 1950
Registered.
7 July 1950
Registration cancelled, exported to Colombia.
June 1950 to March 1960
HK-516 - SAM (SOCIEDAD AERONAUTICA DE MEDELLIN) (COLOMBIA)
June 1950
Purchased.
19 March 1960
Damaged beyond repair at Planeta Rica, Colombia in an approach accident (25/46 fatalities).
The Commando was operating a scheduled passenger flight between the island of San Andres and Medellin, Colombia. During cruise, engine n°1 started coughing and going into overspeed intermittently due to a carburator problem. The crew elected to divert to nearby Planeta Rica, Colombia. However, the airport was closed at the time, with no ATC and radio aids turned off. Weather was bad, with mist, rain, hail and thunderstorm activity. While attempting an approach, the Commando crashed on the slopes on Mount Los Mellos, 11 km to the northwest of the airfield.
Last edited: 28/10/2022