Curtiss C-46 Commando crash, Jan 16, 1959 (51 killed), Ma...
Curtiss C-46 Commando accident on January 16, 1959 near Mar del Plata Buenos Aires province, Argentina with 51 fatalities. Cause: The investigation...
- Date: January 16, 1959
- Aircraft: Curtiss C-46 Commando
- Location: Mar del Plata Buenos Aires province, Argentina
- Fatalities: 51
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: The investigation placed most of the blame on the crew, who were unfamiliar with the airspace and miscalculated the instrument approach. A non functioning radio beacon and poor visibility were contributing factors.
An Austral Curtiss C 46 on a scheduled flight from Buenos Aires overshot its landing at Mar del Plata at night and began a go around. Control was lost, and the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea about 1.2 km offshore. Fifty one of the 52 occupants died.