LAKELAND, Fla. — At just 23-years-old, Michael "Cole" Robinson spent a lifetime chasing his dream of flight. Now, the aviation community is remembering the young pilot killed in a plane crash.
Colleagues say Robinson knew from a young age that he wanted to fly, turning that passion into a career in aviation.
“He was 20 when he came here and he had already done so much towards aviation. So, he knew from a young age that’s what he wanted to do and it’s really cool to see that spark in someone that has a plan, and then they execute that,” Jana Wasmund.
WATCH: Young pilot's passion for flight remembered after deadly Polk County plane crash
Airport contract manager Jana Wasmund worked with Robinson at Winter Haven Regional Airport a few years ago. She described him as an excellent example for aspiring aviators.
“He was a genuine lover of aviation. Always wanted to be out there helping people, furthering the cause,” Wasmund said.
Robinson was a certified flight instructor, a member of the Lakeland Aero Club, and previously worked at Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Winter Haven. His former boss told Tampa Bay 28 that his work ethic was beyond his years.
“He gave me hope for future generations of pilots. He was a very passionate aviator. Very driven, very accomplished at such a young age,” said Ben Shipps, President of Jack Brown's Seaplane Base.
Robinson died Monday night after his plane crashed into a cow pasture in north Lakeland. According to investigators, he was flying formations with a friend who was in another plane.
"We talked to the pilot. He said he looked down when he saw his partner had disappeared, just in time to see the plane come apart, and it immediately crashed straight down into the ground," Sheriff Grady Judd said.
The crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
“Cole touched so many different lives in so many different ways in aviation. I know that everybody that had a chance to meet him and to be a part of his journey is going to remember him very fondly,” Wasmund said.
In a statement, the Lakeland Aero Club wrote on Facebook:
It is with heavy hearts that we remember and honor the life of Cole Robinson.
As a James C. Ray Flight Training Scholarship recipient, a dedicated member of the Lakeland Aero Club, and a passionate aviation enthusiast, Cole embodied the spirit of our aviation community. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and with the overall aviation community. Blue skies and tailwinds, Cole.
Robinson’s family has asked to make donations to the Lakeland Aero Club in his memory, in lieu of flowers.
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