Accident Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando 42-101039, Monday 29 January 1945
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Date:Monday 29 January 1945
Time:07:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic C46 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando
Owner/operator:United States Army Air Force - USAAF
Registration: 42-101039
MSN: 30494
Year of manufacture:1944
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:8
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:Tacloban, Leyte Province -   Philippines
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Narrative:
C-46D #42-101157, while cleared to takeoff and while attempting to takeoff from Tacloban, Leyte Island, Philippines, was directed to clear the runway immediately.

A C-54, without the knowledge of the radio tower, was attempting to land on the same runway. C-46D #42-101157, while attempting to avoid a collision, veered off and ended up hitting two Consolidated Liberators (one being F-7B #44-40659) and another C-46, #42-101039.

C-46D #42-101157, C-46 #42-101039, and F-7B #44-40659 were destroyed. Five crew members aboard C-46D #42-101157 and three aboard F-7B #44-40659 died. Furthermore, another officer, Leonard H. Busch, was supposedly killed aboard C-46 #42-101039.

Sources:

MACR 15854
https://theyweresoldiers.com/index.php/tag/c-46d-42-101157
https://curtisscommando.e-monsite.com/pages/aircraft/s-n-42-101036-to-42-101235-curtiss-c-46a-50-cu-c-46d-5-cu-commando/commando-42-101039.html

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
30-Oct-2025 03:11 RDV Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Location, Country, Source, Narrative, ]

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