Renowned Pilot Chuck Coleman Killed in Air Show Crash at Las Cruces Air and Space Expo

Charles Thomas ‘Chuck’ Coleman, a highly respected and accomplished American aviator, aerospace engineer, and test pilot, tragically lost his life in an air show crash on October 20, 2024, at the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo in New Mexico.

Coleman, who had over 10,800 hours of flight experience, was performing aerobatics in his Extra EA-300 plane when the incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at Las Cruces International Airport. The airport remains closed pending an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other authorities.

Coleman was a multifaceted figure in the aviation world, having worked as a design and performance engineer for several prominent aircraft corporations, including McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, Bede Jet Corporation, and Scaled Composites. He was also a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and served on the board of directors for the Mojave Air and Space Port.

Notably, Coleman was involved in the training of actors for the 2022 film ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ conducting over 100 flights to prepare them for piloting Navy F-18 Hornets. He also contributed to several significant aviation projects, including the development of the McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster and Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipOne, for which he won two Collier Trophies.

Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez expressed his condolences, stating, “We wish to express our heartfelt sympathies to Chuck Coleman’s family and supporters.” The incident has prompted an appeal for spectators who may have captured photos or videos of the crash to share them with the NTSB to aid in the investigation.