What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 22, 2018, about 1214 EST, a van's aircraft inc. RV-12, N262WS, the aircraft is substantially damaged. It collided with terrain near Bonita Springs, Florida. The sport pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Day VMC prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The flight originated at page field (fmy), fort myers, Florida about 1200 and was destined for everglades airpark (X01), everglades city, Florida. According to air traffic control (ATC) voice communication and radar data obtained the flight was enroute from fmy to X01. The pilot was receiving flight following services from ATC. While on a southeasterly heading and at 2,500 ft. mean sea level, the pilot was advised of traffic in his vicinity. The pilot acknowledged, and shortly after this transmission he stated, "mayday, mayday." No additional calls were received from the pilot and radar and radio contact was lost. The airplane crashed in a forested area, about 18 nautical miles southeast of fmy. There was no fire. The wreckage path was oriented south-southwest and was about 750 ft. in length. The left wing and inboard of the flaperon were located at the beginning of the debris field 750 ft. from the main wreckage. All components of the aircraft are accounted for at the accident site. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 22, 2018, ABOUT 1214 EST, A VAN'S AIRCRAFT INC. RV-12, N262WS, THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN NEAR BONITA SPRINGS, FLORIDA. THE SPORT PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. DAY VMC PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PAGE FIELD (FMY), FORT MYERS, FLORIDA ABOUT 1200 AND WAS DESTINED FOR EVERGLADES AIRPARK (X01), EVERGLADES CITY, FLORIDA. ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) VOICE COMMUNICATION AND RADAR DATA OBTAINED THE FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE FROM FMY TO X01. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT FOLLOWING SERVICES FROM ATC. WHILE ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING AND AT 2,500 FT. MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF TRAFFIC IN HIS VICINITY. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, AND SHORTLY AFTER THIS TRANSMISSION HE STATED, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY." NO ADDITIONAL CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT AND RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A FORESTED AREA, ABOUT 18 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF FMY. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS ORIENTED SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AND WAS ABOUT 750 FT. IN LENGTH. THE LEFT WING AND INBOARD OF THE FLAPERON WERE LOCATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DEBRIS FIELD 750 FT. FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. ALL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED FROM ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES TO THE COCKPIT CONTROLS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.