On 15 May 1942, P-40E Kittyhawk A29-64 of 77 Squadron RAAF, piloted by Flight Lieutenant D. L. Daly, suffered an engine failure on an authorised flight at Geraldton Airfield in Western Australia. The engine fired irregularly during take-off and after rising to 50 feet, the pilot forced landed the aircraft damaging it significantly. The aircraft caught fire and the pilot was severely burnt.