What happened
The aircraft was conducting a maritime patrol mission when the crew issued a brief mayday transmission to ground control. The message indicated that a fire had broken out within the cabin. Shortly after this communication, the seaplane crashed into the Solomon Sea, located approximately 50 kilometers south of Gasmata.
Search efforts failed to locate any trace of the aircraft or its occupants. All personnel on board were lost in the incident. The crew consisted of nine individuals from the 11th Squadron, including the pilot, copilot, flight engineers, navigator, radio operator, armourer, and wireless operators who also served as air gunners.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident resulted from an in-flight fire of unknown origin. No specific mechanical failure or external cause for the ignition was identified in the available records.