What happened
During operations in the region surrounding Ambon, a floatplane came under attack from enemy forces. The aircraft was engaged by a Japanese fighter, which successfully shot down the civilian or military transport craft. Following the engagement, the damaged floatplane crashed into the area near Ambon. There were no survivors from this incident; the entire crew was killed in the crash.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the direct cause of the accident was hostile action. The aircraft was not lost due to mechanical failure or pilot error, but rather because it was targeted and destroyed by a Japanese fighter during combat operations.