No fatalities

Emergency Landing Near Machacamarca Results in Aircraft Write-Off (2057)

Machacamarca, BoliviaFlight

On October 14, 1949, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 2057) operated by Brazilian Air Force - Força Aérea Brasileira (1941-) was involved in an aviation accident near Machacamarca, Bolivia in flight. No fatalities were reported. 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

A pilot executed an emergency landing near Machacamarca due to unknown causes, resulting in a crash on sand dunes. All five crew members were rescued, and the aircraft was written off.

What happened

The flight encountered an urgent situation that compelled the pilot to initiate an emergency landing. The specific reasons for this decision remain unknown. During the approach, the aircraft did not make a controlled touchdown on a prepared runway. Instead, it crash landed in the vicinity of Machacamarca. The airframe ultimately came to rest on sand dunes following the impact.

Despite the severity of the landing, all five crew members were successfully rescued from the wreckage. Following the incident, the aircraft was assessed and subsequently written off, indicating that it was beyond economic repair or safe for continued operation.