No fatalities

Engine Failure Forces Emergency Landing Near Pangseng Pass (42-3629)

Pangseng Pass, MyanmarFlight

On March 24, 1945, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 42-3629) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Pangseng Pass, Myanmar in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by an engine failure during flight. 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 suffered an engine failure while en route, compelling the crew to abandon the machine in a mountainous area near Pangseng Pass. The airframe was destroyed, but all personnel on board survived the incident.

What happened

During an en route phase of flight, the aircraft experienced a critical mechanical issue when one engine failed. This loss of power forced the crew to initiate an emergency procedure, resulting in the abandonment of the airframe. The aircraft subsequently crashed in a rugged, mountainous terrain situated in the vicinity of the Pangseng Pass. Despite the severity of the impact, which resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft, all members of the flight crew survived the event without fatal injuries.

Findings

The official investigation identified the primary contributing factor to the accident as an engine failure. This mechanical malfunction was the direct cause that necessitated the emergency landing and subsequent crash of the vehicle in the remote mountainous region.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by an engine failure during flight.