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| Date: | Thursday 8 February 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando |
| Owner/operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-96644 |
| MSN: | 30306 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1944 |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province -
 China
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando #42-96644 took off from Kunming, China and flew toward Mohanbari, India via course Charlie. According to the statement of co-pilot Lewis E Cooper, this C-46 encountered powerful downdraft in the vicinity of Salween River [next to China-Myanmar border] and descended into clouds. Since high mountains were ahead, the crew made a 180 degrees turn [back into Chinese territory]. Captain Edwin J. Olsen instructed the crew to bail out as the descent could not be arrested. L. Cooper landed on a ridge which he reckoned to be about 12000 ft (3657.6 m) tall. Because of very poor weather, the crew members were unable to find each other on the ground. Lewis E Cooper and radio operator Peter E Montville returned to base separately, but the whereabouts of E J Olsen was unknown. The wreckage of the C-46 was not located, either.
Cooper supposed that the C-46 has cleared the 12000 ft (3657.6 m) mountain ridge and crashed in the Mekong River valley.
Sources:
Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR)
MACR 12039
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2025 11:48 | RDV | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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