Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando – B-908

Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 20 June 1964

Aircraft Type: Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando

Owner/operator: Civil Air Transport

Registration Number: B-908

Location: San-Chiao – ÿ Taiwan

Phase of Flight: Initial climb

Status: Destroyed, written off

Casualties: Fatalities: 57 / Occupants: 57

Component Affected: No specific component is identified as directly affected. The crash occurred on the aircraft’s wings, fuselage, and nose.No specific component is identified as directly affected. The crash occurred on the aircraft’s wings, fuselage, and nose.

Category: Accident

Description

Shortly after takeoff from Taichung, the no. 1 engine oversped. A left turn was initiated in order to make an emergency return to the Taichung Airport or nearby military air base. The pilot lost control and the aircraft struck the ground in a left wing low and a comparatively steep nose low attitude. PROBABLE CAUSE: “About 5 miles west of the accident site was Kung-Kuan Military Air Base. Six miles south-southwest was Shui-Nan Airport from where the aircraft took off. On the right side of the flight pattern was a chain of mountains. It was concluded that, when the pilot found that the left engine was overspeeding, he made an abrupt left turn to land at Kung-Kuan Military Air Base or return to Shui-Nan Airport. During the turn he lost control of the aircraft, which crashed to the ground.”