What happened
The aircraft was operating on a maritime patrol mission in the waters between Tulagi and Shortland when it encountered enemy forces. During this phase of flight, the seaplane was targeted and shot down by a Japanese fighter. The impact caused the aircraft to crash into the sea.
All nine individuals aboard the aircraft were rescued from the water and taken into custody by the opposing forces. They were held as prisoners of war until November 4, 1942, when they were executed. The crew consisted of a pilot, a copilot, a navigator, two flight engineers, a radio operator, an assistant to the radio operator, a rigger, and an armourer.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the loss of the aircraft was directly caused by hostile action from a Japanese fighter aircraft.