1945 — Feb 4, USAAF C-46 Commando on-board fire, crash ~55M NW of Jorhat, India–34

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-17-2023.

–34 of 35. Aviation Safety Network. USAAF C-46 mechanical problems/fire/crash, W of Karoi.

–34 of 35. Kuhles, Clayton. “C-46A #42-107386 Found 23 Sep 2008.” MIA Recoveries, Inc.

Narrative Information

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945:

“Date:                          Sunday 4 February 1945

“Type:                         Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando

“Operator:                   United States Army Air Force – USAAF

“Registration:              42-107386

“MSN:                         27073

“First flight:                 1944

….

“Crew:                         Fatalities:   3 / Occupants:   2

“Passengers:                Fatalities: 32 / Occupants: 33

“Total:                         Fatalities: 34 / Occupants: 35

….

“Location:                   W of Karoi (India) [Has it as “55 mi NW of Jorhat” below – hundreds of

miles to the east.]

 

“Phase:                        En Route (ENR)

“Nature:                       Military

“Departure airport:      Chabua Airfield…India [northeast India near Chinese border]

“Destination airport:    Karachi (unknown airport), Pakistan. [would have been 2,820 km flight]

                                    [Karachi was Indian at the time. Pakistan came into existence in 1947.]

“Narrative:

 

“Over a remote jungle location approx. 55 mi NW of Jorhat, the C-46 transport aircraft developed mechanical problems and caught on fire. It crashed near the summit ridge of a jungle-covered hill at 6559 feet and burned.” (Aviation Safety Network. USAAF C-46 mechanical problems/fire/crash, W of Karoi, India, 2-4-1945.)

 

[Blanchard note: Jorhat is 2,465.3 km east of Karoi. It is 162.5km west of Chabua, where the plane departed. Thus either the “Location” section is incorrect or there is another Karoi that does not show up on a Google maps search.]

 

Kuhles, Clayton. “C-46A #42-107386 Found 23 Sep 2008.” MIA Recoveries, Inc. :

 

“On 04 Feb 1945, this aircraft departed Chabua, India for Karachi, India.  The aircraft was transporting 33 passengers who were homeward bound to the US.

 

“The aircraft developed mechanical problems and caught fire over a remote jungle area approx. 55 mi. NW of Jorhat.  It crashed near the summit of a jungle-covered hill and burned. All crewmembers and passengers were killed with the sole exception of TSgt. Marvin H. Jacobs, who survived the crash with minor injuries and was rescued and cared for by local villagers.  Dead: 34.

  • Pilot: F/O Cecil A. Weaver
  • Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Robert H. Maddox
  • Passenger: Capt. Lawrence C. Archer
  • Passenger: Capt. Kenneth R. Arnette
  • Passenger: Capt. Thomas H. Harper
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. James W. Brokaw
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Myron L. Cook
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. John A. Flach
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. John F. McDonough, Jr.
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Charles B. Moore
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Harold B. Morse
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Howard S. Pierson
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. William E. Price
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Frederick J. Raubinger
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Louis P. Worland
  • Passenger: 1st Lt. Marshall Young
  • Passenger: TSgt. Allan H. Cousins
  • Passenger: TSgt. Phillip Feld
  • Passenger: TSgt. Robert E. Finks
  • Passenger: TSgt. Lawrence G. Jacobs
  • Passenger: TSgt. Marvin H. Jacobs [sole survivor]
  • Passenger: TSgt. Scott F. Mitchell
  • Passenger: SSgt. Harlan G. Casper
  • Passenger: SSgt. Alva H. Floyd
  • Passenger: SSgt. Joseph B. Hewitt, Jr.
  • Passenger: SSgt. Merrill R. Hyde
  • Passenger: SSgt. David McKissock, Jr.
  • Passenger: SSgt. Ernest B. Schenck
  • Passenger: SSgt. Forman S. Smith
  • Passenger: Sgt. Joseph F. Kehrer
  • Passenger: Cpl. Buster Beck
  • Passenger: Cpl. L.F. Sellers
  • Passenger: Pfc. J.G. Goodman
  • Passenger: Pfc. Norman C. Maxfelt
  • Passenger: Pvt. Harold B. Erwin

“Note: Bolded name is that of sole survivor of this crash.  TSgt. Marvin H. Jacobs was thrown clear of the wreckage and ensuing fire, and sustained only minor injuries.  He was soon found by a hunter from a local tribal village who witnessed the crash while camped on a nearby hill.  The hunter built a bamboo lean-to shelter for Jacobs and cared for him before carrying him down to the village.  A runner from the village was sent to notify the US Army.  The villagers then built a rough airstrip so the Americans could recover Jacobs with a small aircraft.

“Historical Note: The text within this post is an excerpt from the original Army Air Corps or USAAF accident report that was filed shortly after the aircraft disappeared.  These archival reports were typically the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) or Report of Major Accident.  The reports frequently stated the crash site was believed to be “unrecoverable” or “all but impossible to recover”, due to the very remote and rugged terrain where the aircraft crashed.  Employing the services of local tribal guides, I was able to reach and document this crash site.  Without exception, all the sites were very difficult to reach, often involving many days of trekking from the nearest road and multiple river crossings.”

 

Sources

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945. USAAF Curtiss C-46A Commando mechanical problems/fire/crash, W of Karoi, India, 2-4-1945. Accessed 12-17-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450204-0

 

Kuhles, Clayton. “C-46A #42-107386 Found 23 Sep 2008.” MIA Recoveries, Inc. Accessed 12-17-2023 at: https://www.miarecoveries.org/c46a-42-107386/