On June 1, 1959, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration TI-1022) operated by Aerolineas Nacionales - Costa Rica was involved in an aviation accident near Nicaragua, Nicaragua in flight. 60 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was destroyed by fire from a Nicaraguan Air Force fighter jet. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft operating in Nicaragua was destroyed after being targeted by a Nicaraguan Air Force fighter jet, resulting in no survivors.
What happened
On July 17, 1959, an aviation incident occurred during operations within the airspace of Nicaragua. While the aircraft was engaged in flight, it was intercepted and struck by a fighter aircraft belonging to the Nicaraguan Air Force. The impact of the engagement caused the plane to crash.
There were 60 fatalities recorded as a result of the crash, with no survivors reported among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the event concluded that the primary reason for the destruction of the aircraft was that it was shot down by a military fighter pilot during its flight phase.
Probable cause
The aircraft was destroyed by fire from a Nicaraguan Air Force fighter jet.