Anh-Thu Nguyen, founder of Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation and the first Vietnamese woman to complete a solo flight around the world, died in a plane crash Wednesday in Greenwood, Indiana, according to authorities.
Nguyen was on the second leg of her global journey, flying from Indy South Greenwood Airport (KHFY) to Pennsylvania, when the accident occurred. She had departed from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, three days prior to the accident. FlightAware.com tracking data shows the aircraft went down just minutes after takeoff. According to the Indianapolis Star, her 2005 Lancair IV-P spiraled from the sky and crashed behind a gas station on Greenwood’s Main Street. She was the sole occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A respected and accomplished pilot, Nguyen was named Certified Flight Instructor of the Year by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in 2017. In 2018, she founded Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation (AWAA), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Asian girls to pursue careers in aviation, aerospace and STEM. According to the organization, AWAA has inspired more than 25 million people worldwide. That same year, she also launched Dragon Flight Training Academy in Pembroke, Florida, and later went on to fly the Boeing 767 for a major airline.
AWAA released a statement following her passing. “Anh-Thu was an inspiring pilot, instructor, and advocate for girls and women in aerospace, engineering, and aviation. She lived with boldness, curiosity, and drive. She came from humble beginnings in Vietnam to becoming a beacon of hope to many.”
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