Narrative:
The Curtiss Commando operated on flight from Hankou, now part of Wuhan, to Beijing. It carried 55 Chinese soldiers. Visibility near Beijing was poor due to an overcast of about 300 feet. Because of a lack of radio beacons near Beijing's Nanyuan Airport, the crew used a commercial broadcasting station as a navigational aid. The antenna was located some 25 km WNW of the field and the top was at a height of 1000 feet above airfield elevation. On approach the airplane struck the antenna and crashed.
Collision with pole or wires
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
| Status: | |
| Date: | Friday 12 October 1945 |
| Time: | 11:30 |
| Type: |  Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando |
| Operator: | United States Army Air Force - USAAF |
| Registration: | 44-78591 |
| MSN: | 22414 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 55 / Occupants: 55 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 59 / Occupants: 59 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 25 km (15.6 mls) WNW Beijing-Nanyuan Airport (NAY) ( China)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Hankou, China |
| Beijing-Nanyuan Airport (NAY/ZBNY), China |
The Curtiss Commando operated on flight from Hankou, now part of Wuhan, to Beijing. It carried 55 Chinese soldiers. Visibility near Beijing was poor due to an overcast of about 300 feet. Because of a lack of radio beacons near Beijing's Nanyuan Airport, the crew used a commercial broadcasting station as a navigational aid. The antenna was located some 25 km WNW of the field and the top was at a height of 1000 feet above airfield elevation. On approach the airplane struck the antenna and crashed.
Classification:
Collision with pole or wires
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Military aviation disasters : significant losses since 1908 / D. Gero, 1999Photos
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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