A USAAF Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express was crewed by a United Air Lines crew operating under contract to the Air Transport Command. It took off at 02:34 in light rain and 2«-mile visibility with 13-14 mph NNE wind, gusting 28 mph, and climbed 400-600 feet. Almost immediately entered a steep 180ø left-hand turn with flaps down, gradually lost height and had almost levelled out when it hit the ground 1¬ miles NNE of the airfield, ¬ mile to the left of the line of the runway. The C-87 broke up as it bounced and skidded over the Waitemata marshland, the cabin coming to rest 300 yards from the first point of impact. Rescuers were impeded by deep mud, and water rising around the wreckage as the tide came in. Of the 25 on board, three crew and 11 passengers died in the crash, and another passenger of injuries on the 19th. On board were a group of Japanese interns who were being swapped for POWs in a secret operation.