What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was conducting a night patrol escort duty mission. The flight was operating under conditions of enforced radio silence when it encountered difficulties while returning to its base. During this phase of the operation, the airplane crashed in the vicinity of Tulagi. Upon impact, the airframe immediately burst into flames. The severity of the fire and the nature of the crash resulted in the loss of all personnel on board, with eight crew members killed.
The aircraft was operated by VP-24. The crew consisted of a pilot and seven other service members holding various enlisted ratings, including ensigns, ammunition specialists, radiomen, and an airman first class. No survivors were reported from the event.