Tragic Plane Crash Claims Life of Aspiring Pilot
A pilot attempting to become the first Vietnamese woman to fly solo around the world tragically lost her life in a plane crash in Indiana.
Anne Tu Nguyen, a flight instructor originally from Vietnam, had just taken off from Indy South Greenwood Airport on her journey to Pennsylvania when her 2005 Lancair IV-P went down behind a gas station in Greenwood. The crash occurred during her second leg of a global flight attempt, as reported by local news sources.
Nguyen, 44, was the only occupant of the plane and was pronounced dead at the scene, with no injuries reported among people on the ground.
Just minutes before her departure, she shared a video on Facebook expressing her hopes of inspiring future generations of Asian women to pursue careers in aviation. “I’ve just completed my first foot on solo flights around the world,” she stated in the recorded message. “This is not just a flight; it’s a mission to inspire the next generation of Asian female pilots, aerospace engineers, and STEM experts. Let’s keep moving forward together…thank you.”
Nguyen’s journey began on July 27 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. After leaving there, she had planned to arrive in Pennsylvania around 11 a.m. The crash happened only three days into her trip.
Witness Frank Williams recounted that the aircraft fell silently from the sky, with no signs of fire or explosion. He could smell fuel as they approached the wreckage and realized there were no survivors.
Born in Vietnam and relocating to the U.S. at the age of 12, Nguyen earned both a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in aviation from Purdue University, later completing her PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Most recently, she held the position of Chief Flight Instructor at Dragon Flight Training Academy.
In addition to her flying career, Nguyen founded a nonprofit organization, Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation Inc., in 2018, which aims to empower young Asian women pursuing aviation careers.
The community mourns her loss, with her organization publishing a heartfelt tribute that highlighted her inspiring role as a pilot, instructor, and advocate for women in fields like aviation and engineering. “Anh-Thu lived with boldness, curiosity, and drive,” the statement read.
