No fatalities

Aircraft Fire During Takeoff After Propeller Blade Detachment (TI-1020)

San José-La Sabana, Costa RicaTakeoff (climb)

On July 10, 1959, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration TI-1020) operated by Aerolineas Nacionales - Costa Rica was involved in an aviation accident near San José-La Sabana, Costa Rica during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. 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.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

During a takeoff roll, one or two propeller blades detached from the left engine, struck the cockpit, and punctured the fuselage. The captain was seriously injured, and the copilot executed an emergency braking procedure. All nine occupants evacuated, and the aircraft was left in

Incident Overview During the takeoff roll, one or two propeller blades detached from the left engine. The detached blades struck the cockpit and punctured the fuselage. The captain sustained serious injuries, while the copilot was able to perform an emergency braking procedure. The aircraft came to rest in flames. All nine occupants were evacuated, and the aircraft was partially destroyed. ## Casualties and Damage The captain was seriously injured. All nine occupants were evacuated from the aircraft. The aircraft was partially destroyed and came to rest in flames. ## Operational Details The incident occurred during the takeoff roll. The left engine was involved in the detachment of one or two propeller blades. The copilot executed an emergency braking procedure after the captain was injured.