No fatalities

Aircraft veers off runway into ditch during takeoff roll (42-61042)

Lüliang, ChinaTakeoff (climb)

On March 5, 1945, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 42-61042) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Lüliang, China during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Strong crosswinds caused the aircraft to swerve and lose control during the takeoff roll. 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 lost control and left the runway surface during takeoff, ending up in a nearby ditch. The incident resulted in no injuries but total loss of the airframe.

What happened

During the initial phase of departure, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional stability while accelerating on the runway. This caused the machine to veer off the paved surface and come to rest in an adjacent ditch. The event occurred without any reported injuries to those aboard, although the structural damage sustained was severe enough to render the airframe unserviceable.

Findings

The official investigation identified strong crosswinds as the primary factor contributing to the incident. These meteorological conditions induced a swerving motion during the takeoff roll, leading to the loss of control and subsequent excursion off the runway.

Probable cause

Strong crosswinds caused the aircraft to swerve and lose control during the takeoff roll.