LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A man who died in a crash of a small plane during a New Mexico air show was an accomplished pilot who had performed stunts at hundreds of air shows, authorities said Monday.
Charles Thomas “Chuck” Coleman was the only person on board the two-seat Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 monoplane when it went down around 2:30 p.m. Sunday during the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo at Las Cruces International Airport, city officials said.
Authorities said Coleman was performing aerobatics when the plane crashed about a half-mile west of the airport. The air show was called off after the crash.
Coleman’s website said he was based out of California and was an engineer, aerobatic and test pilot with more than 10,000 hours of flight time.
He performed at hundreds of airshows and had provided more than 3,000 rides in aerobatic aircraft, according to his website.
It also said Coleman was an aerobatic flight instructor for actors in the 2022 film “Top Gun: Maverick,” flying more than 100 flights to prepare the actors for flight in U.S. Navy F-18 Hornets.
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“We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones and fans of Chuck Coleman,” Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez said in a statement Monday.
New Mexico State Police, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The airport was temporarily closed during the initial investigation, with only scheduled and emergency response flights permitted.