Southern California stunt pilot who taught ‘Top Gun’ actors dies in air show crash – Press Enterprise

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A man who died when a small plane crashed at an air show in New Mexico was an accomplished pilot who had performed stunts at hundreds of air shows, authorities said Monday .

Charles Thomas “Chuck” Coleman was the only person aboard the Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 two-seat monoplane when it crashed around 2:30 p.m. Sunday during the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo at Las Cruces International Airport, reports said. city ​​officials.

Authorities said Coleman was performing aerobatics when the plane crashed about a half-mile west of the airport. The air show was canceled after the accident.

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Coleman’s website said he was based north of Los Angeles and was an engineer, aerobatic and test pilot with more than 10,000 flight hours.