34 fatalities

Bahrain fuel stop departure accident (42-107360)

Bahrain, BahrainTakeoff (climb)

On September 22, 1944, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 42-107360) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Bahrain, Bahrain during takeoff. 34 people were killed. 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 the sea shortly after takeoff from Bahrain during a climb to 800 feet, resulting in the deaths of all 34 people on board.

What happened

The flight was operating between Habbaniyya and Karachi with an intermediate fuel stop in Bahrain. During the departure phase from Bahrain, the aircraft encountered difficulties shortly after leaving the ground. While climbing to an altitude of approximately 800 feet, the plane began to bank sharply to the left. This maneuver led to a steep dive that caused the aircraft to impact the sea surface. The crash resulted in the loss of all 34 occupants on board.

Findings

The source material does not provide specific details regarding the technical contributing factors or the final investigation conclusions for this incident.