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.

C-46A #43-46983
Found 30 Nov 2025

by

C-46A #43-46983

This aircraft and crew were assigned to the 1337 Army Air Force Base Unit in Sookerating, India.  It departed Kunming, China for Sookerating late in the evening on 06 Feb 1945 on a routine cargo flight.  Departure time from Kunming was 1725 IST.

The weather was extremely bad and radio contact was very poor.  The pilot was unable to contact Sookerating tower, and called Chabua to report he was over Sookerating, on top of overcast, on a single engine, and asked for immediate let-down instructions.  The pilot requested a bearing from Chabua, and Chabua shot bearings on the aircraft and instructed pilot to descend.  Pilot was also receiving bearings and instructions from Jorhat, and this might have caused additional confusion for the pilot.  Two bearings were taken on the aircraft, which placed it over Sookerating, and then just north of Dinjan.  Both bearings were transmitted to the pilot, who acknowledged seeing the field at Dinjan, but stated he was returning to Sookerating to land.  The aircraft descended to 4,000 ft. and reported they were in contact, but unable to locate the field.   The last radio transmission from the pilot was that they were at 5,000 ft and flying on a heading of zero (0) degrees.  The aircraft failed to land at either Sookerating or Dinjan, and was not located.  Crew declared dead.  Dead: 4.

  • Pilot: 1st Lt. Bernard A. Byers
  • Co-Pilot: 1st Lt. Joseph F. Huba
  • Radio Operator: Sgt. W.P. Boley
  • Assistant Radio Operator: Pvt. Hugh D. Cummings

View the Crashed Aircraft Site Report (PDF)

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Important Notice:​ These MIA missions are mostly self-funded by Clayton Kuhles.  No funding support is received from the US government.  If you believe this is a worthwhile humanitarian project that needs to be pursued, then please visit the Funding page on this website to see how easy it is to support this project in a meaningful manner.  MIA Recoveries, Inc is a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Funding donations to MIA Recoveries, Inc are deductible under Section 170 of the Code.  EIN: 45-3174718