Pilot Chuck Coleman Killed in Airshow Crash

Experienced aviator had logged time in more than 100 types of aircraft and was a flight instructor for actors in 'Top Gun: Maverick.'

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 05:05 PM ET

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Pilot Charles Thomas "Chuck" Coleman was killed while performing in the 2024 Las Cruces Air & Space Expo. [Courtesy: City of Las Cruces]

Key Takeaways:

Charles "Chuck" Coleman, an experienced airshow pilot known for training *Top Gun: Maverick* actors, died Sunday when his Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 crashed during an event in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Coleman was the only person on board, and the accident, which was witnessed by many spectators, is currently under investigation by the NTSB, FAA, and New Mexico State Police.
His extensive 35-year aerospace career included roles as an engineer (contributing to the F-18), test pilot for aircraft like the ICON A5, and a flight instructor for SpaceShipOne and Virgin Galactic pilots, in addition to his airshow performances.

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Charles Thomas “Chuck” Coleman, an experienced airshow pilot who flight trained Top Gun: Maverick actors, was killed Sunday when his Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 crashed during an event in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

According to city officials, the accident happened during the Las Cruces Air & Space Expo at Las Cruces International Airport (KLRU). Coleman, 61, was the only person on board the aircraft.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.