Anh-Thu Nguyen, a pioneering aviator and founder of Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation, was killed Wednesday when her small plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Indy South Greenwood Airport in Indiana. She was 44.
Nguyen, who made history in 2024 as the 10th woman to fly solo around the world, was attempting the journey again—this time with a mission to inspire young Asian women to pursue careers in STEM, engineering, and aviation.
Just hours before the crash, Nguyen made a hopeful and heartfelt Facebook message from the cockpit.
“I’m super excited today,” she said, smiling. “I just completed the first leg of my solo flight around the world a few days ago from Oshkosh to Indiana. This is more than just a flight, okay? It’s a mission to inspire the next generation of Asian female pilots, aerospace engineers and STEM professionals.”
She signed off with a message to her followers: “Wish me luck, thank you, and I will see you in Pennsylvania.”
Nguyen was the only person aboard the Lancair IV-P, which crashed near a gas station minutes after takeoff. No one on the ground was hurt.
Born in Tuy-Hòa, Vietnam, Nguyen moved to the U.S. at age 12 and went on to build a remarkable career in aerospace. She earned degrees from Purdue University and Georgia Tech and later founded Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation, a nonprofit dedicated to lifting up Asian women in fields where they’re historically underrepresented.
Federal investigators are still working to determine what caused the crash.
Oh No 🙁