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. 

The accident occurred at 2:30 p.m. MDT, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported. Many spectators caught the accident on cell phone video. Witnesses told authorities that the aircraft dove toward the ground then disappeared in a cloud of dirt behind scrub brush. 

Terre Blevins was one of the spectators who caught Coleman’s performance on her mobile phone. On the video, which was obtained by the Las Cruces Bulletin, Blevins can be heard asking, “Did he crash?” followed by exclamations and cries of dismay from other audience members.

That is immediately followed by the airshow announcer asking that people refrain from posting about the event on social media citing a lack of information and the desire to be respectful of Coleman’s family. The remainder of the airshow was canceled.

The accident is being investigated by the New Mexico State Police, FAA, and National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is requesting those who may have captured the event in video or in photographs to share their images by posting on the agency website here.

Career Legacy

Coleman was a member of the Mojave Space Port Governing Board, serving as its treasurer.

According to the organization, he had more than 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry as an engineer, ATP-rated pilot, A&P/IA mechanic, test pilot, and airshow performer.

He had logged time in more than 100 types of aircraft. He also served as a senior designer at McDonnell Douglas, lending his talents to the development of many aircraft, including the F-18. Coleman was also a test pilot for the ICON A5.

An experienced flight instructor, Coleman provided flight training to the pilots of SpaceShipOne in preparation for their suborbital flights, which resulted in winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004. He also flew the chase aircraft for the mission.

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According to his website, he had 4,300 hours flying in the accident aircraft.

In addition to being a test pilot and flying in airshows, Coleman offered aerobatic flight training.

Coleman had some high-profile clients, among them the pilots for Virgin Galactic.

In 2018 he was called upon to provide flight training for the actors portraying Naval aviators in Top Gun: Maverick. He provided over 140 hours of flight instruction for the actors to prepare them for g-forces they would feel when filming the flying scenes.

The post Pilot Chuck Coleman Killed in Airshow Crash appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Naturally, our FLYING Top Gun playlist includes music from the original Top Gun movie soundtrack as well as songs from the new film. For fun, we’ve also added music that references actors, characters, aircraft, and situations from the franchise. 

• READ MORE: Pilots Will Love Top Gun: Maverick—It’s a Lot More Real

While the 1986 soundtrack featured Berlin and Kenny Loggins, the sequel updates the tone with 21st century superstars.

“This album continues the musical legacy that the original Top Gun ignited back in 1986,” producer Jerry Bruckheimer said in a news release. “We are so thrilled to have Lady Gaga and OneRepublic lend their artistry towards putting a modern spin on the already iconic and beloved soundtrack.”

In the new film, Tom Cruise reprises his original role as U.S. Navy fighter pilot Pete Mitchell—call sign Maverick. Decades after he attended the Navy’s elite fighter jet training school nicknamed “TOPGUN,” Maverick finds himself training a detachment of “TOPGUN” graduates for a specialized mission. 

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Maverick also encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (call sign Rooster), played by Miles Teller. Rooster is the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka Goose. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy, Air Force Banking On Top Gun: Maverick Recruitment Boost

Just like the original, which featured characters with call signs like Iceman, Jester, Viper, and Hollywood, the new film includes characters nicknamed Phoenix, Cyclone, Warlock, Payback, Fanboy, and Coyote. Our playlist reflects some of these characters—and yes, there actually is a song titled Kelly McGillis.

Enjoy!

The post <i>FLYING’s Top Gun: Maverick</i> Music Playlist appeared first on FLYING Magazine.