Anh-Thu Nguyen, a 44-year-old pilot from Miami, tragically lost her life in a plane crash in Greenwood, Indiana, on July 30, 2025. Nguyen was the founder of the Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation , a Purdue University graduate, and the 10th woman to fly solo around the world.
The crash occurred behind a Circle K gas station at 1183 E. Main Street in Greenwood. Nguyen was the sole occupant of the plane, which was en route to Pennsylvania as part of her mission to fly solo around the world. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
Born in Tuy-Hoa, Vietnam, Nguyen immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. Despite facing numerous challenges, including financial hardships and discouragement from some flight instructors, she pursued her dream of becoming a pilot. Nguyen graduated valedictorian from her high school and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Purdue University, a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech.
In 2018, Nguyen founded the AWAA to encourage and empower the next generation of Asian female pilots, aerospace engineers, and STEM professionals. She also established the Dragon Flight Training Academy at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Florida, where she served as a flight instructor, helping students develop skills in risk assessment and safety-oriented decision-making.
Nguyen’s 2024 solo flight around the world made her the 10th woman and first Vietnamese pilot to achieve this feat. She described the experience as one where she “longed to have that experience of flying and controlling a plane, of feeling small and vulnerable yet at the same time so powerful.”
Following her death, the AWAA released a statement honoring Nguyen as an “inspiring pilot” who lived with “boldness, curiosity, and drive.” The organization expressed its heartbreak over the loss and announced plans to continue her dream of helping young girls pursue their aspirations through a scholarship in her name.
