Detroit – Wilmington

On November 20, 1964 at 06:11 AM, Detroit – Wilmington experienced a crash involving Curtiss C-46 Commando, operated by Zantop Air Transport, with the event recorded near Detroit-Metropolitan-Wayne County Michigan.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was engaged in a cargo flight from Detroit to Wilmington and the aircraft was loaded to about 20 pounds under the maximum allowable gross weight of 48,000 pounds. After takeoff from runway 21L, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft suffered vibrations then stalled and crashed in a field located 2,050 feet pas the runway end. It slid for about 448 feet before coming to rest with its both wings partially sheared off. Both pilots were evacuated and the aircraft was written off.

Aircraft reference details include registration N3971B, MSN 22594, year of manufacture 1945.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 42.2057°, -83.3530°.