On the 16th of July 1943, RAAF P-40 Kittyhawk, A29-117, of 2OTU Mildura crashed during a combat exercise.

Arnott was tragically killed in the crash. He had taken off in A29-117 with F/Sgt. W.C. James (412812) in another Kittyhawk. F/Sgt. James last saw A29-117 at 10,000 feet while it was behind him in a steep turn somewhere between Lake Victoria and Wentworth in New South Wales. The remains of the burnt out aircraft were found 13 miles southwest of Mildura airfield at 0100Z hrs on 17 July 1943.