Commando 43-47409
Aircraft Identification
VARIANT: Curtiss C-46E-1-CS Commando
USAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 43-47409
CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 2935
COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CK457
FATE: Written off
Operational Record
July 1945 to October 1945
43-47409 - USAAF (USA)
17 July 1945
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Saint Louis, MO.
Intended as lend-lease to China, but cancelled.
Remained within the continental USA.
October 1945 to November 1945
43-47409 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)
30 October 1945
Transferred to RFC and stored at Ontario AAF, CA.
November 1945 to August 1947
N59488 - SLICK AIRWAYS (USA)
29 November 1945
Purchased.
21 August 1947
Damaged beyond repair after flying into terrain near Hanksville, UT (3/3 fatalities). CAB Report
Crew:
Capt. Marvin G. Vaughan
F/O Herbert V. Preeg
The Commando was conducting a cargo flight between Ypislanti, MI and Burbank, CA with an intermediate stop in Denver, CO. As the aircraft was proceeding VFR at 10,000ft over Utah below a cloud layer, it entered a U-shaped canyon, with the open-end of the U facing eastward. The aircraft hit terrain that was steeply rising into the clouds, just 100ft below the ridge top. The two crewmembers and the observer were killed as the Commando disintegrated on impact. The accident was deemed to be a CFIT caused by continued VFR flight into IMC.
Last edited: 06/12/2023