What happened
The incident involved a seaplane operated by Patrol Squadron 54 (VP-54). The aircraft was conducting a routine night maritime patrol flight in the waters off Guadalcanal Island. During this operation, the plane failed to return to its base as scheduled. Subsequent search efforts yielded no results; neither the wreckage of the aircraft nor any traces of the personnel were ever recovered.
All 12 crew members aboard the aircraft were lost in the incident. The flight deck and aircrew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot or observer, and various enlisted specialists including radiomen and aircraftmen. As no physical evidence was found, the specific circumstances leading to the disappearance remain unconfirmed by recovered data.
Findings
Due to the total loss of the aircraft and the absence of any wreckage or debris, no definitive technical findings regarding mechanical failure or external causes were established at the time of the record. The case is classified as a missing-in-action event where the cause remains undetermined due to lack of physical evidence.