No fatalities

Twin-engine aircraft crash on final approach to Tinian Airfield (39579)

Tinian Island, Northern Mariana IslandsLanding (descent or approach)

On January 7, 1946, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration 39579) operated by United States Marine Corps (USMC) was involved in an aviation accident near Tinian Island, Northern Mariana Islands during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. 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 twin-engine aircraft crashed into a field while on final approach to Tinian Airfield, resulting in no injuries but total loss of the airframe.

What happened

The incident occurred during the final approach phase of flight at Tinian Airfield. The twin-engine aircraft failed to maintain safe trajectory and impacted a field adjacent to the runway. Following the crash, emergency services assessed the scene and confirmed that there were no injuries among those on board. However, the impact caused structural damage that rendered the airframe unserviceable, leading to its classification as destroyed.

Findings

The available records indicate that the primary outcome of the event was the complete loss of the aircraft due to the collision with the terrain. No specific mechanical failures or human error factors are detailed in the provided source material beyond the fact that the crash occurred during approach and resulted in a total write-off.