Trailblazing Vietnamese American pilot dies in attempt to fly around the world solo
[Source]
Anh‑Thu Nguyen, founder of Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation, died in a crash resulting from an attempt to become the first woman of Vietnamese descent to complete a solo circumnavigation on July 31 near Greenwood, Indiana. Nguyen’s Lancair IV‑P crashed shortly after takeoff from Indy South Greenwood Airport during her second solo attempt to fly around the world.
From humble beginnings
Nguyen grew up in a remote Vietnamese village without electricity or running water before immigrating to the U.S. at age 12. She became valedictorian of her high school and later worked multiple jobs to earn degrees in aerospace engineering from Purdue University and Georgia Tech. She logged more than 4,000 flight hours, including experience as a certified Boeing 757 and 767 first officer.
“Mission to inspire”
Trending on NextShark: Trailblazing Vietnamese American pilot dies in attempt to fly around the world solo
Her latest journey, which began July 27 at the EAA AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, included scheduled stops in Indiana and Pennsylvania. Before her fatal flight, Nguyen posted a video declaring, “This is more than just a flight. It’s a mission to inspire the next generation of Asian female pilots, aerospace engineers and STEM professionals.” Nguyen’s aircraft went down at approximately 1:30 p.m., tumbling into a field behind a gas station on County Road 800 North.
“A beacon of hope”
Nguyen founded AWAA in 2018 and built it into a nonprofit that has inspired people worldwide. In its tribute, AWAA wrote, “Her life stories are inspirational and have taught many women around her to dare to dream the impossible even when things are difficult.” AWAA will establish a scholarship in her name to support girls pursuing aviation and STEM careers. Nguyen’s memorial service will be held at O’Riley Branson Funeral Home in Indianapolis, with visitation on August 12 and 13 and a funeral service on August 13 followed by burial.
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