Date:	Wednesday 14 August 1963
Time:	15:00
Type:	Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando
Owner/operator:	Aaxico Airlines
Registration:	N67941
MSN:	22391
Year of manufacture:	1945
Total airframe hrs:	25571 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	56 km ENE of Great Falls-Malmstrom AFB, MT -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Great Falls-Malmstrom AFB, MT (GFA/KGFA)
Destination airport:	Rapid City-Ellsworth AFB, SD (RCA/KRCA)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Curtiss C-46 N67941 took off from Malmstrom AFB at 14:14 for a flight to Ellsworth AFB. During the climb to altitude, the no. 2 engine overheated. The main-master rod bearing failure forced the crew to shut the engine down a little later. The plane had not obtained sufficient altitude to pass safely over the mountainous terrain, so a turn was made to go back to Malmstrom. The aircraft continued to lose altitude and airspeed, forcing the crew to alter course to fly along a canyon, the floor of which permitted a greater degree of terrain clearance. Once in the canyon however, surrounding terrain soon surmounted the altitude of the aircraft, necessitating the landing on a ploughed field. After touchdown the C-46 struck the earth dam of a small reservoir.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the captain to effect a proper and timely assessment of a power plant malfunction, followed by improper judgement and technique during a single-engine emergency operation."

CAB Accident Report File No. 1-0010
ICAO Accident Digest No.15 - Volume I, Circular 78-AN/66 (86-92)

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