25 fatalities

Mountain strike near San Roque kills all 25 on board (44-77360)

Tanauan, PhilippinesLanding (descent or approach)

On March 16, 1945, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 44-77360) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Tanauan, Philippines during landing or approach. 25 people were killed. 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 crashed into a mountain slope near San Roque while approaching Tanauan in poor weather, resulting in the deaths of all 25 occupants.

What happened

The flight originated at Elmore Airfield in Mindoro and was destined for Tanauan in Leyte. The departure occurred at 1630 local time. During the approach phase to the destination, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft subsequently struck the slope of a mountain situated approximately 6 kilometers northwest of San Roque, which is located south of Tanauan.

The impact resulted in the loss of all lives on board. A total of 25 occupants were killed in the accident. The manifest included military personnel of various ranks, ranging from Private First Class to Captain, as well as non-commissioned officers and technical staff. No survivors were reported from this incident.