23 fatalities

Night Approach Crash Off Iwo Jima (44-78691)

Iwo Jima, JapanLanding (descent or approach)

On November 16, 1946, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 44-78691) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Iwo Jima, Japan during landing or approach. 23 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 lost control during a night approach to Iwo Jima Island and crashed into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of all 23 people on board.

What happened

During a nighttime approach to Iwo Jima Island, the aircraft experienced a loss of control. The flight terminated when the machine impacted the surface of the Pacific Ocean approximately 15 miles offshore from the island. There were no survivors in this incident, as all 23 occupants perished in the crash.

Findings

The available records indicate that the immediate sequence involved the aircraft going out of control while on final approach. No specific mechanical failures or external factors are detailed in the provided source material beyond the loss of control and the subsequent water impact.