Commando 44-77586

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77586

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32982

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1518

FATE: Written off

  December 1944 to January 1946

  44-77586 - USAAF (USA)

16 December 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

18 January 1945

Departed the USA for Europe.

Assigned to the 8^th Air Force.

Early 1945

Probably assigned to the 9^th Air Force, 52^nd Troop Carrier Wing operating in Europe.

19 July 1945

Returned to the USA at Bradley Field, CT.

  January 1946 to March 1946

  44-77586 - RFC (RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORPORATION) (USA)

16 January 1946

Transferred to RFC and stored at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR.

  March 1946 to July 1946

  HC-SCA - ANDESA (ECUADOR)

15 March 1946

Purchased from RFC.

29 March 1946

Delivered.

17 July 1946

Damaged beyond repair at Cuenca, Ecuador in an approach accident (30/30 fatalities).

The Commando was operating a scheduled passenger flight between Guayaquil and Cuenca, Ecuador with four crew members and 26 passengers on board. While on final approach to Cuenca, the pilot decided to perform a go around for unknown reasons. The plane did not gain enough height and crashed into a hill 2 km from the airport.