ERA26LA251

On June 26, 2026, about 1045 eastern daylight time, a Boeing/Jones 75, N3993C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Georgia. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight after an annual inspection was completed on the airplane on May 11, 2026. During the initial climb after takeoff, just above the trees, the climb performance degraded and the airplane could not gain altitude, as if the engine was not developing full power. The pilot then initiated a slow, right turn in an attempt to return to the airport; however, he observed that he did not have enough altitude to clear obstacles back to the airport and elected to perform a forced landing in a cornfield. During the landing, the airplane impacted corn and uneven terrain, which resulted in a hard landing and main landing gear collapse. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted. Initial examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The wreckage was retained for further examination.