24 fatalities

Mail Flight Crash in Paddy Field After Takeoff (44-78604)

Osaka-Itami, JapanTakeoff (climb)

On December 10, 1946, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 44-78604) operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF (1941-1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Osaka-Itami, Japan during takeoff. 24 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

A mail flight crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 24 occupants. The aircraft nosed down and impacted a paddy field while completing a route from Tachikawa to Fukuoka.

What happened

The incident occurred during the initial climb phase following departure from runway 32. Immediately after leaving the ground, the aircraft exhibited unstable flight characteristics, banking alternately to the left and right. This was followed by a nose-down attitude that resulted in a crash into a nearby paddy field. The impact forces destroyed the airframe completely.

All 24 occupants on board perished in the accident. The group included three civilians alongside the crew members who were operating a mail delivery service. The flight plan involved a journey from Tachikawa Air Base to Fukuoka, with a scheduled intermediate stop at Osaka-Itami Airport.

Findings

Investigations indicated that weather conditions at the time of the event were marginal. It is believed that the left engine was not functioning at the moment of impact. However, authorities could not determine with certainty the specific reason for this engine failure or shutdown.