No fatalities

Aircraft Crash During Takeoff While Transporting Munitions (4X-ACG)

Sde Avraham, IsraelTakeoff (climb)

On June 26, 1949, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 4X-ACG) operated by El Al Israel Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Sde Avraham, Israel during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control at liftoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 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 in flames immediately after liftoff while transporting land mines for the Israeli Air Force, resulting in injuries to all 13 occupants and total destruction of the airframe.

What happened

The incident occurred during the initial phase of flight, specifically at the moment of liftoff. As the aircraft departed the runway, it immediately lost stability and went out of control. The loss of control resulted in a crash where the airplane impacted the ground and caught fire.

At the time of the accident, the aircraft was operating on behalf of the Israeli Air Force and was carrying a cargo of land mines. Following the impact, the airframe was completely destroyed by a series of explosions. The force of the crash and subsequent fires resulted in injuries to all 13 occupants aboard the aircraft.

Findings

The source material indicates that the primary event leading to the accident was the loss of control immediately upon takeoff. The presence of munitions on board contributed to the severity of the post-impact damage, as the explosions rendered the aircraft a total loss.

Probable cause

Loss of control at liftoff