Accident Overview
On December 6, 2024, at about 2004 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12IS, registration N702DP, was substantially damaged when it collided with a set of approximately 50-foot-tall power lines near Homosassa, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight History
A preliminary review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that the airplane departed Falcon Field Airport (FFC) in Atlanta, Georgia, around 1442 and landed at George T. Lewis Airport (CDK) in Cedar Key, Florida, about 1640, a flight duration of 1 hour and 58 minutes. An airport employee at CDK reported that after landing, she met the pilot and drove him to a nearby restaurant. Later, she returned the pilot to his airplane. The pilot told the employee he was flying back to Atlanta and did not purchase fuel at CDK.
The pilot departed CDK about 1752. He did not file a flight plan and was not in contact with air traffic control. The airplane climbed to about 4,300 feet mean sea level (msl) on a northwesterly ground track toward Atlanta before descending to 2,300 feet msl and making a right turn to the east-southeast, then to the southeast. The airplane flew along the coastline, maneuvered out over the water, and then continued back on a south-southeasterly track toward Tampa, Florida. West of Tampa, it had descended to 1,500 feet msl and then turned right toward the north-northeast. Heading north, it descended to 1,000 feet msl. About 2002, the airplane turned right and made several climbing and descending left and right turns west of U.S. Highway 98. It then turned north and entered a shallow, descending right turn toward the highway before the ADS-B data ended at 2004. The entire flight lasted about 2 hours and 12 minutes.
Impact and Wreckage
The airplane impacted a set of approximately 50-foot-tall power lines that ran perpendicular and west of the highway. The airplane came to rest inverted beneath the power lines, and there was no postimpact fire. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. According to first responders, no fuel was observed leaking from the airplane, nor was there an odor of fuel at the accident site. The wreckage was recovered to a salvage facility and retained for further examination.
Weather Conditions
Weather reported at Crystal River Airport (CGC), about 3 miles north of the accident site, at 2055 included wind from 010 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, a temperature of 10°C, a dewpoint of 5°C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.25 inHg. Sunset was at 1734.