Flying Officer Elfner was reported missing on April 10, 1944 in an incident unrelated to enemy action when his Squadron flew into an area of heavy cloud over England. According to his mother, Grace Elfner, who later wrote to the Air Force's Casualty Branch claiming to have received a visit from a member of her son's Squadron, his plane was lost in an attempt to direct a member of his Unit through the low visibility area. Elfner's last transmission was "follow me." Those who were with him at the time assumed he lost control and crashed into the sea.