Accident Details
On February 27, 2022, at approximately 0958 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-12IS, registration N123RR, was destroyed in an accident about 20 miles northwest of Big Pine Key, Florida. The sport pilot and passenger have not been located. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Discovery of Debris
The airplane was reported overdue to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on February 28, 2022, after the sport pilot did not report to work. On March 4, 2022, the US Coast Guard located the vertical stabilizer and right horizontal stabilizer. As of the publication of this report, no other sections of the airplane have been located.
Weather and Flight Path
According to a friend of the sport pilot who kept his airplane in an adjacent hangar, they planned a flight of two to Key West, Florida (EYW). Before departure, they discussed using Everglades City, Florida (X01) as a possible diversion due to weather. While cruising at 6,500 ft msl, the friend had to descend to 1,500 ft msl to stay below a broken cloud layer. He advised the sport pilot that he was diverting to Marathon, Florida (MTH) and encouraged him several times via radio to do the same. The sport pilot stated that he was descending from 6,500 ft msl to 4,500 ft msl and continuing to EYW. That was the last communication from the sport pilot. The friend noted that the sport pilot usually checked weather via a ForeFlight app on his phone; however, review of flight service and ForeFlight records did not reveal any weather briefing for the accident flight.
Communications and Tracking Data
The sport pilot was not in radio contact with air traffic control at the time of the accident. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that the airplane was in the vicinity of moderate precipitation, which was forecast, at the end of the data. During the last mile of track data, the airplane entered a descending right spiral.
Pilot and Records
The pilot and aircraft maintenance logbooks were not recovered. According to FAA records, the sport pilot received his pilot certificate on January 20, 2022. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 88 hours; of which, 24 hours were as pilot-in-command and 0 hours were instrument experience.