No fatalities

1952-01-21: Curtiss C-46 Commando (44-77407) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Japan Sea, World

Japan Sea, WorldFlight

On January 21, 1952, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 44-77407) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Japan Sea, World in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by an engine failure during flight. 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 1781255173Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft was forced to perform an emergency water landing in the Japan Sea after experiencing an engine malfunction during flight.

What happened

During a flight near the South Korean coastline, the aircraft experienced a mechanical malfunction involving one of its engines. This failure occurred while the plane was en route to its destination, necessitating an immediate change in flight profile.

Due to the loss of power from the malfunctioning engine, the crew determined that an emergency landing in the water was necessary. The aircraft was ditched into the Japan Sea, positioned off the coast of South Korea. Following the impact with the water, all individuals on board were successfully evacuated without any reported injuries. While the evacuation was completed safely, the aircraft subsequently sank beneath the surface and is considered lost.

Findings

  • The primary factor leading to the emergency was a failure within the engine system during the cruise phase of flight.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by an engine failure during flight.