Editing Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express (section)

==Accidents and incidents==
The [[Aviation Safety Network]], part of the [[Flight Safety Foundation]], records 150 [[hull loss]] accidents involving the C-87 or the C-109 occurring between 1942 and 1964.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/types/Consolidated-C-87-Liberator-Express/statistics |title=Aviation Safety Network > ASN Aviation Safety Database > Aircraft type index > Consolidated C-87 > Consolidated C-87 Statistics |last=Ranter |first=Harro |website=aviation-safety.net |access-date=2019-10-13 |archive-date=13 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013121230/https://aviation-safety.net/database/types/Consolidated-C-87-Liberator-Express/statistics |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 30 November 1943, a C-87 with a crew of four plus a passenger ran out of fuel flying from [[Kunming]], China to [[Jorhat]], India, when it was blown off-course by strong wind. All five aboard the plane landed near [[Tsetang]], [[Tibet]], and became some of the first Americans to visit [[Lhasa]].<ref>{{Cite magazine | title = ''Lost in Tibet: The Untold Story of Five American Airmen, a Downed Plane, and the Will to Survive.'' | url = https://www.afhistory.org/airpowerhistory/Air_Power_History_2006_summer.pdf | magazine = Air Power History | date = Summer 2006 | page = 55 | access-date = 22 November 2022 | archive-date = 15 June 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220615043648/https://www.afhistory.org/airpowerhistory/Air_Power_History_2006_summer.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>

The worst accident took place 25 July 1944. All 27 on board USAAF C.87 ''41-11706'' were killed when it crashed on [[Nggela Islands|Florida Island]] in the south-west Pacific;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440725-1 |title=ASN Aircraft accident Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express 41-11706 Gaeta Village, Florida Island |last=Ranter |first=Harro |website=aviation-safety.net |access-date=2019-10-13 |archive-date=13 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013121238/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440725-1 |url-status=live }}</ref> the crew were civilian employees of [[Consairway]] and the passengers were high-ranking British and American officers, including Royal Air Force [[Air Commodore]] [[I. J. Fitch|Isaac John Fitch]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/41-11706.html |title=Pacific Wrecks – C-87-CF Liberator Express Serial Number 41-11706 |last=PacificWrecks.com |website=pacificwrecks.com |language=en |access-date=2019-10-13 |archive-date=13 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013121234/https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/41-11706.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The next year, in July 1945 a Liberator C.VII (the British designation for the C-87) operated by the [[Royal Air Force]] bound for [[Manus Island]] failed to gain altitude after taking off from Sydney's now non-existent runway 22, struck trees and crashed into the ground in [[Brighton-Le-Sands, New South Wales|Brighton-Le-Sands]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Pearcy|first=Arthur|title=Lend lease aircraft in World War II|year=1996|publisher=Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers|location=United States|isbn=9780760302590|page=105|edition=1. publ.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Livingstone|first=Bob|title=Under the Southern Cross: the B-24 Liberator in the South Pacific|year=1998|publisher=Turner Publishing Company|location=Paducah, KY|isbn=9781563114328|page=122|edition=Limited}}</ref> The aircraft exploded on impact, killing all 12 passengers and crew on board. The victims were from the British, Australian and New Zealand armed forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nsw173.htm|title=Crash of a C-87 Liberator Express 1 mile west of Mascot Airfield on 19 July 1945|access-date=24 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421021100/http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nsw173.htm|archive-date=21 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another notable accident took place on 15 April 1957 when C-87 ''XA-KUN'', operated by TAMSA (Transportes Aéreos Mexicanos SA), crashed after take-off from [[Mérida International Airport|Mérida-Rejon Airport]], killing all on board, including the famous Mexican actor and singer [[Pedro Infante]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19570415-0 |title=ASN Aircraft accident Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express XA-KUN Mérida-Rejon Airport (MID) |last=Ranter |first=Harro |website=aviation-safety.net |access-date=2019-10-13 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126062757/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19570415-0 |url-status=live }}</ref>