What happened
The crew departed Honiara at 0525 local time to conduct a bombing mission over Rabaul. They were flying alongside two other similar aircraft when the incident occurred. While approaching the designated target, the aircraft with registration NZ4614 disappeared from radar and visual contact. It is believed to have crashed into the Solomon Sea.
Following the loss of contact, the crews of the two accompanying aircraft immediately initiated a search and rescue operation to locate the wreckage. Despite these efforts, no trace of the missing plane was found. All operational activities in the area were eventually suspended on September 17 due to the lack of any evidence regarding the crash site.
Findings
In February 1944, Japanese forces evacuated the region. Based on this timeline and the absence of wreckage, it was concluded that the crash was not caused by enemy action. The specific mechanical or environmental factors leading to the loss remain unconfirmed due to the lack of physical evidence.