Incident Overview
Date: Tuesday 5 April 1960
Aircraft Type: Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando
Owner/operator: L¡neas Areas de Nicaragua – LANICA
Registration Number: AN-AIN
Location: 2,4 km from Siuna Airport (SIU) –
ÿ Nicaragua
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 18
Component Affected: Port propellerPort propeller
Category: Accident
An aircraft crashed on a hillside after a propeller disassembly, resulting in a loss of life. The crash occurred at a 10-degree upslope distance from the Siuna departure runway, likely due to unfavorable terrain, wind, and altitude conditions.An aircraft crashed on a hillside after a propeller disassembly, resulting in a loss of life. The crash occurred at a 10-degree upslope distance from the Siuna departure runway, likely due to unfavorable terrain, wind, and altitude conditions.
Description
The aircraft crashed on a hillside with a 10 degree upslope, 1,5 miles from the Siuna departure runway. PROBABLE CAUSE: “During the investigation, when the port propeller was being dismantled it was discovered that the distributor valve was broken from the base of the junction with the engine crankshaft, the first threads having broken. The break appeared to be due to fatigue. From the evidence, the rupture of the distributor valve of the port propeller appears to have been the main cause of the accident, additional factors being unfavourable terrain, wind and altitude conditions.”
Primary Cause
Fatigue of the distributor valve of the port propeller, caused by the dismantling of the propeller during maintenance.Fatigue of the distributor valve of the port propeller, caused by the dismantling of the propeller during maintenance.Share on:
