Accident Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando 42-3669, Friday 26 January 1945
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Date:Friday 26 January 1945
Time:20:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic C46 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando
Owner/operator:United States Army Air Force - USAAF
Registration: 42-3669
MSN: 26802
Year of manufacture:1944
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:4 km S of Bell Center, OH -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Buffalo Airport, NY
Destination airport:Dayton-Wright Patterson AAF, OH (FFO/KFFO)
Narrative:
The C-46 transport plane operated on a military cargo flight from Buffalo, NY to Patterson Field, OH carrying 8000 pounds of cargo. A fire started in the area of the fuel cross-feed valve, APU and gasoline heater. The floor structure weakened due to the intense fire and collapsed. The airplane descended on fire and crashed into trees.

Sources:

Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR)
Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945, Vol. 3: August 1944-December 1945 / Anthony J. Mireles

Revision history:

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