Family, friends, fellow pilots, and members of the aviation community across Lakeland and beyond are mourning the heartbreaking and unexpected loss of Michael “Cole” Robinson, a talented 23-year-old pilot whose life was tragically cut short in a devastating plane crash on Monday evening, June 15, 2026.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Robinson departed around 7:30 p.m. from Bartow Executive Airport while flying a single-seat experimental aircraft. At nearly the same time, a friend in a separate aircraft departed from Lakeland Linder International Airport, as the two planned to meet north of Lakeland for a formation flight.
Just before 8:00 p.m., authorities received a 911 call reporting a downed aircraft. Emergency crews quickly responded and located the wreckage in a remote wooded pasture west of Moore Road. Tragically, Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators say another pilot flying nearby witnessed part of the aircraft separate mid-flight before the plane rapidly descended and crashed directly into the ground. The witness immediately provided exact coordinates, allowing first responders to locate the crash site within minutes.
Despite his young age, Cole had already earned deep respect throughout the aviation world. He graduated Cum Laude from Polk State College with a degree in Aerospace Sciences and had dedicated years to building a career centered around his passion for flying. He served as a certified flight instructor, worked as a glider tow pilot, and held aviation roles at several Florida airports.
News of his sudden passing has left family, friends, and the aviation community devastated. Many remember Cole as an exceptionally gifted pilot whose passion, dedication, and love for aviation defined the life he was building.
As loved ones grieve this unimaginable loss, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board continue investigating what caused the aircraft to break apart mid-flight, searching for answers behind a tragedy that ended a promising life far too soon.
