# Accident 20260615007639A: Blessing RV-3A, Lakeland, FL, June 15, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2026, 19:54 local time
- Place: Lakeland, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.1986° N, 81.9346° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1986&lon=-81.9346&mi=10
- Aircraft: N696DB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N696DB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Blessing RV-3A (registry code 05603CH, https://openairdocs.org/model/blessing-rv-3a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BLESSING RV-3A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA239) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260615007639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 15, 2026 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A BLESSING RV-3A DEPARTED BARTOW MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ENROUTE FOR AN INFLIGHT LINK UP WITH ANOTHER RV-3 TO CONDUCT FORMATION FLIGHT.  THE TWO AIRCRAFT APPRX. 2000 FEET, 140 KTS AND WERE FLYING IN FORMATION, THE ACCIDENT AIRPCRAFT PILOT ASKED FOR A VIDEO OF HIM PERFORMING A RIGHT FORMATION BREAK AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE LEAD AIRCRAFT IN THE FORMATION.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFROMED A RIGHT BREAK, SECOND AIRCRAFT PILOT OBSERVED RIGHT WING FOLD 90 DEGREES AND STRUCK THE CANOPY THEN THE WING COMPLETELY DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT WAS INVERTED AND WAS IN A SPIN.  AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TALL PINE TREE AND SEEMINGLY SLID DOWN THAT TREE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST.  ACCIDENT SCENE INDICATED THAT THE IMPACT WAS SUBSTANTIAL CAUSING THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER TO BE BURIED AND PILOT EXTRACATION WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE DAMAGE AND IMPACT.  INVESTIGATION DOES NOT REVEAL PILOT ERROR, RESULTS REVEAL STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ISSUES WHIC NEED TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED BY THE MANUFACTURE AND NTSB INVESTIGATORS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA26FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA239), Jun 15, 2026: Blessing RV-3A (N696DB), Lakeland, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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