No fatalities

1966-03-06: Curtiss C-46 Commando (SE-CFG) — Transair Sweden — Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo

Bunia, Democratic Republic of CongoLanding (descent or approach)

On March 6, 1966, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration SE-CFG) operated by Transair Sweden was involved in an aviation accident near Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Poor judgement on part of the crew who continued the final approach at an insufficient altitude. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781241248Data APIEditorial standards

A humanitarian flight for the United Nations Organization struck a sand pile with its left main gear on short final. The crew continued to land, but the aircraft was later declared damaged beyond repair.

Incident

During a humanitarian flight operated on behalf of the United Nations Organization (UNO), the aircraft experienced a low approach on short final. The left main landing gear contacted a sand pile, causing damage.

Landing and Assessment

The pilot-in-command chose to continue the approach and completed the landing. After the aircraft came to a stop, a thorough inspection was conducted. It was ultimately determined that the damage was extensive, and the aircraft was declared as damaged beyond repair.

Probable Cause

Official findings attribute the incident to poor judgement on the part of the crew, who continued the final approach at an insufficient altitude, leading to the gear striking the sand pile.