No fatalities

Aircraft Crash in Langtai Due to Fuel Exhaustion (42-3683)

Langtai, ChinaFlight

On January 8, 1945, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 42-3683) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Langtai, China in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by the complete depletion of the aircraft's fuel supply. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into a field in Langtai after running out of fuel. The incident resulted in no injuries, but the airframe was declared a total loss.

What happened

The aircraft came down in a field located in Langtai. The descent and impact occurred as a direct result of the engine ceasing operation due to a complete lack of fuel. Despite the crash landing in open terrain, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among those on board. Following the event, the airframe was assessed and determined to be beyond economical repair, leading to it being written off.

Findings

The official investigation identified fuel exhaustion as the primary cause of the accident. The sequence of events indicates that the aircraft's fuel reserves were depleted before a safe landing could be achieved at an appropriate airfield.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the complete depletion of the aircraft's fuel supply.