The Curtiss C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C. Known to the men who flew them as "The Whale," or the "Curtiss Calamity," Davis et al. 1978, p. 11. the C-46 served a similar role as its counterpart, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, but was not as extensively produced.

After World War II, a few surplus C-46 aircraft were briefly used in their original role as passenger airliners, but the glut of surplus C-47s dominated the marketplace with the C-46 soon relegated to primarily cargo duty. The type continued in U.S. Air Force service in a secondary role until 1968. However, the C-46 continues in operation as a rugged cargo transport for Arctic and remote locations with its service life extended into the 21st century.Love 2003, pp. 46–47.

Accidents and incidents

Like every other major type in long service and operation, accidents and incidents have been recorded that have substantially reduced the numbers flying. The following list is typical of such a record of operational use.

1940s 20 September 1944: USAAF C-46A 42-107397 went missing during a nighttime navigation training mission both leaving and returning to Syracuse Army Air Base. The wreckage was found in August 1945 on NE face of Blue Ridge Mountain near Speculator, NY. All three servicemen perished."Lost in 1944 – Blue Ridge Mountain." caterpillarclub.com. Retrieved: 18 July 2011. 2 February 1945: USMC R5C-1 39504 disappeared south of Los Angeles with seven on board. 4 February 1945: While flying over remote jungle 55 mi northwest of Jorhat, USAAF C-46A 42-107386 developed mechanical problems that led to an in-flight fire and crashed near the top of a jungle-covered hill at 6559 feet and burned out, killing 34 of 35 on board. 4 March 1945: USAAF C-46A 44-77654 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed off Orfordness after it wandered into a restricted area over the English Channel after the pilot got lost, killing the four crew. The crew was returning from dropping off a Waco CG-13A glider in France. 6 May 1945: USAAF C-46D 44-77839 hit a radar tower when flying in low cloud and crashed into Gibbet Hill, Hindhead, England, killing all 30 on board and 1 on the ground. 23 May 1945: USAAF C-46D 44-77507 crashed at Taillefontaine, France due to an engine fire, killing all 44 on board. 14 June 1945: USAAF C-46D 44-77948 crashed near Oakridge, Mississippi due to loss of control after the aircraft was struck by lightning, killing 17 of 18 on board. 28 September 1945: USAAF C-46D 42-101183 crashed 20 mi southeast of Chihkiang, killing 20. 5 October 1945: USAAF C-46A 41-5190 struck Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains, killing all four on board. 10 October 1945: USAAF C-46D 44-78490 struck the north face of Sarwaged Mountain (14 mi north of Boana, Papua New Guinea) in poor weather, killing the five crew. 12 October 1945: While trying to navigate their approach to Beijing Nanyuan Airport, USAAF C-46F 44-78591 (carrying four US crew and 55 Chinese soldiers) struck a radio antenna and crashed, killing all on board in the deadliest accident involving the C-46. 26 October 1945: USAAF C-46D 44-77561 crashed in a forest 42 mi east of Coos Bay, Oregon while attempting to return to Fresno due to poor visibility, killing three of 12 on board; the crew bailed out at some point after which the aircraft crashed. Five survivors were found two days later and the remaining four were found later on; two of the dead were found in the wreckage and the third remained missing as of 5 December 1945. 30 October 1945: USAAF C-46A 43-47228 crashed into a hill after takeoff from Zhijiang after the aircraft did not gain sufficient altitude due to possible engine problems, killing 45 of 50 on board. 13 July 1946: A Central Air Transport C-46 crashed just after takeoff from Jinan Airport due to engine failure, killing 13 of 49 on board. 10 December 1946: US Marine Corps R5C-1 39528 en route from San Diego to Seattle crashed into South Tahoma Glacier on the side of Mount Rainier in Washington, killing all 32 US Marines on board. The pilot was flying entirely by instruments in severe weather and it was determined that wind had moved the aircraft off course. At the time, this accident was the worst in U.S. aviation history.Safety network report 25 December 1946: In what would be known as China's "Black Christmas", a China National Aviation Corporation C-46 (115) crashed while on approach to Longhua Airport in poor visibility, killing 31 of 36 on board (some sources say 29 dead); this aircraft was one of three that crashed on this night. 5 January 1947: A China National Aviation Corporation C-46 (XT-T51 / 121) struck a mountain west of Qingdao, China, killing all 43 on board. All Chinese commercial aircraft were grounded for a week pending investigation of this crash as well as the three crashes a week earlier. 28 January 1947: A China National Aviation Corporation C-46 (XT-T45 / 145) crashed 30 minutes after takeoff from Hankou, killing 25 of 26 on board. 14 February 1947: A Slick Airways C-46E (NC59486) crashed at Denver due to a loss of control, killing both pilots. 21 August 1947: A Slick Airways C-46E (NC59488) crashed at Hanksville, Utah after entering a thunderstorm, killing all three on board; the aircraft struck a mountain while flying too low. 20 January 1948: A China National Aviation Corporation C-46 crashed on takeoff from Mukden, China, killing 11 of 54 on board. 16 May 1948: A Slick Airways C-46E (NC56489) crashed near Port Columbus International Airport due to a loss of control following structural failure of the tail, killing both pilots. 23 May 1948: Still bearing the registration of Panamanian airline LAPSA, Israeli Air Force C-46 RX-136 crashed on a slope near Latrun in poor visibility; the navigator died when the fuselage of an Avia S-199 the aircraft was carrying broke loose and slid forward into the cockpit. 29 July 1948: A Civil Air Transport C-46D (XT-822) crashed at Qingdao Airport after entering a spin after takeoff, killing all 19 on board. 24 October 1948: A Transandina Ecuador C-46 (HC-SIA) crashed in a lagoon near Cozumel, Mexico while attempting to land, killing all eight on board. 5 December 1948: A Central Air Transport C-46 (XT-538) crashed at Kiangwan, killing nine of 40 on board. 5 March 1949: USAF C-46D 44-77335 crashed shortly after takeoff from Naha AFB, killing six of 22 on board. 27 May 1949: A Trans-Air Hawaii C-46F (N5615V) crashed and burned at Maui, Hawaii due to wing separation caused by an engine fire, killing both pilots; the fire was caused by a number eight cylinder failure on the number two engine. 2 June 1949: A Central Air Transport C-46 (XT-520) crashed 200 mi N of Chongqing, killing the three crew. 7 June 1949: A Strato-Freight C-46D (NC92857) crashed on Climbout from Isla Grande Airport following a loss of power in the right engine due to maintenance errors, killing 53 of 81 on board; the accident remains the worst in Puerto Rico. 12 July 1949: Standard Air Lines Flight 897R (a C-46E, N79978) crashed at Chatsworth, California, due to pilot error, killing 35 of 48 on board. 19 July 1949: An Air Transport Associates C-46F (N5075N) crashed on takeoff from Boeing Field after the left engine lost power, probably due to use of low-octane fuel, killing two of 32 on board; one person on the ground also died. 2 August 1949: A Varig C-46D (PP-VBI) operating a flight from São Paulo-Congonhas Airport to Porto Alegre made an emergency landing on rough terrain near the location of Jaquirana, approximately 20 minutes before landing in Porto Alegre, following fire on the cargo hold. Of the 36 passengers and crew aboard, five died."Accident description PP-VBI." Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved: 15 August 2011. 9 October 1949: Slick Airways Flight 11-8 (a C-46E, NC59485) crashed near Cheyenne, Wyoming due to loss of control caused by icing and severe turbulence, killing all three on board. 4 December 1949: A Civil Air Transport C-46 crashed in China, killing the five crew; the aircraft was carrying a cargo of fuel. 9 December 1949: A Civil Air Transport C-46D (XT-820) crashed near Lanzhou, killing all 38 on board. 10 December 1949: A Civil Air Transport C-46D (XT-814) crashed at Haikou, killing 17 of 40 on board.

1950s 27 May 1950: A Regina Cargo Airlines C-46F (N9406H) crashed on takeoff from Teterboro Airport due to overloading and engine problems, killing one of the pilots; the airline's AOC was suspended following the crash. 5 June 1950: A Westair Transport C-46F (N1248N) operating a flight from San Juan, PR to Wilmington, NC ditched into the Atlantic 300 miles east of Melbourne, Florida due to failure of both engines for reasons unknown. It sank in one of the deepest areas of the Atlantic and could not be recovered. Of the 65 passengers and crew aboard, 28 died. 23 July 1950: USAF C-46D 44-77577 lost control and crashed shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach AFB after the left aileron separated, killing all 39 on board. 8 January 1951: USAF C-46D 44-78505 crashed on landing at Chungju (K-41) Air Base, South Korea; the aircraft struck two other C-46Ds, 44-78270 and 44-78262. Two of three on board 478505 died. 14 February 1951: A LANSA C-46A (HK-333) crashed near Yalí, Colombia, killing both pilots. 25 February 1951: USAF C-46D 44-78257 crashed into high ground near Iwakuni MCAS while returning to Taegu (K-2) Air Base, killing the three crew. 29 July 1951: A Lóide Aéreo Nacional C-46A (CB-39), flying from Cochabamba to Rio de Janeiro, probably operating a delivery ferry flight still bearing the Bolivian registration number, crashed on takeoff. All seven occupants died."Accident description CB-39." Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved: 13 May 2011. 27 September 1951: USAF C-46D 44-77713 struck Mount Tanazawa, killing all 14 on board. 16 December 1951: A Miami Airlines C-46F (N1678M) stalled and crashed at Elizabeth, New Jersey due to an engine fire, killing all 56 on board. The aircraft was leased from the USAF. 29 December 1951: Continental Charters Flight 44-2 (a C-46A, N3944C) struck Bucktooth Ridge near Napoli, New York due to pilot error, killing 26 of 40 on board. 30 December 1951: Transocean Air Lines Flight 501 (a C-46F, N68963) crashed near Fairbanks, Alaska due to spatial disorientation caused by pilot error, killing all four on board. 5 April 1952: US Airlines Flight 4–2, a C-46F (N1911M), was on a maneuvering flight from Fort Lauderdale to Teterboro when it lost and control and crashed near Idlewild Airport following a sudden engine failure, killing both pilots and three people on the ground. 18 April 1952: Robin Airlines Flight 416W (a C-46E, N8404C) crashed into a hill near Whitter, California after the pilot descended too low, killing all 29 on board. The aircraft was leased from Air Charters. 24 May 1952: A Lóide Aéreo Nacional C-46D (PP-LDE) during take-off from Manaus-Ponta Pelada stalled when trying to return to the airport following an engine failure. It crashed into the Rio Negro. The 6 occupants died."Accident description PP-LDE." Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved: 15 August 2011. 4 August 1952: A private C-46A (N79096) crashed at Miami International Airport after the elevator control system failed due to poor maintenance, killing all four on board. 16 October 1952: USAF C-46D 44-77538 crashed off Kangnung Air Base after takeoff, killing all 25 on board. 15 November 1952: USAF C-46D 44-78114, of the 34th Troop Carrier Squadron, 315th Air Division, crashed in the Sea of Japan off Kangnung, South Korea after takeoff, killing 11 of 18 on board. 21 December 1952: A RANSA C-46D (YV-C-ARC) disappeared over the Atlantic en route to Miami with three on board.