On November 3, 1956, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration CC-CAH-331) operated by Lyon Air (Chile) was involved in an aviation accident near San Miguel, Panama in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot encountered unexpected technical issues that necessitated an emergency landing on a beach. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft-related incident occurred near San Miguel, resulting in significant damage to the vessel but no loss of life.
What happened
An emergency situation unfolded involving an aircraft that was forced to perform a landing maneuver near the city of San Miguel. During the flight phase, the crew encountered technical difficulties that prevented them from maintaining their intended course, necessitating an immediate attempt at an emergency descent.
As the aircraft approached the coast, it made contact with a beach area. The impact of the landing resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair; however, there were no casualties reported during the incident. The crew survived the event without injury.
Findings
The primary cause of the emergency was the encounter with technical difficulties during flight.
The location of the incident was a beach near San Miguel.
Probable cause
The pilot encountered unexpected technical issues that necessitated an emergency landing on a beach.