GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) — The female pilot who died in a plane crash in Greenwood was the founder of an Asian female pilots association, a Purdue grad, and the 10th woman to fly solo around the world.

Anh-Thu Nguyen, 44, from Miami, died Wednesday morning after her plane suddenly crashed behind a Circle K gas station at 1183 E. Main Street in Greenwood.

Nguyen, the plane’s sole occupant, died at the scene. The cause of her crash has not been determined.

This flight, according to Nguyen’s social media, was en route to Pennsylvania as part of her mission to fly solo around the world – again.

From war-torn village to big dream come true

Nguyen is the founder of the Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation, an organization launched in 2018 dedicated to “encouraging, empowering, and engaging the next generation of Asian female pilots, Aerospace Engineers, and STEM professionals.”

According to the AWAA website, Nguyen’s path to becoming a pilot started as a simple dream she held close while growing up in Tuy-Hoa, Vietnam, a village with no electricity or running water.

She and her family immigrated to America at age 12, living in poverty with no support system. The AWAA says many flight instructors discouraged her and “readily disqualified her” – but she kept going.

“Earning $6/hr as a Math tutor & taking out student loans, she lived in my car and perhaps unlawfully crashed in airports during flight training in order to become a pilot & later AOPA Distinguished Flight Instructor, and a B767 pilot for a major carrier.”

Nguyen eventually graduated valedictorian from her high school and was in the top 10 of her class when she graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in math and her eventual Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics. She also earned her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech.

After founding AWAA in 2018, Nguyen opened the Dragon Flight Training Academy at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Here, she served as a flight instructor to many future pilots and helped students develop “skills in risk assessment and safety-oriented decision-making.”

She became the 10th female pilot and first Vietnamese pilot to fly solo around the world in 2024. She told Purdue in an interview following the flight that she “longed to have that experience of flying and controlling a plane, of feeling small and vulnerable yet at the same time so powerful.”

‘This is more than just a flight’

Nguyen’s 2025 flight, a journey six years in the making, started in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on Sunday. The second leg of the trip began in Indiana Wednesday morning.

Her most recent social media post was published before Wednesday’s flight. Nguyen was seen in a video seated in the cockpit preparing to take off.

“This is more than just a flight, okay?” she said. “This is a mission to inspire the next generation of Asian female pilots and aerospace engineering professionals.”

Her 2024 trip consisted of 25 stops, according to Purdue, but it was unclear how many places Nguyen’s 2025 journey would take her.

A bold and inspiring woman

The AWAA released a statement after Nguyen’s death, recognizing its founder as an “inspiring pilot” who lived with “boldness” and “curiosity.”

We are heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend, founder, mentor, and leader, Anh-Thu Nguyen, who passed away in a tragic accident during her solo journey around the world.

Anh-Thu was an inspiring pilot, instructor, and advocate for girls and women in aerospace and aviation. She lived with boldness, curiosity, and drive. She came from humble beginnings to becoming a beacon of hope to many.

Those wishing to honor her legacy may make a donation to the 501c3 nonprofit in her name; we will use the funds to continue her dream of helping young girls pursue their dreams and a scholarship in her name.

Well wishes and thoughts can be left on her main social pages:
Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilot_anh_thu
Her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anu.nguyen

We hold her family, friends, and community dearly in our hearts at this time. May she fly high in the blue skies.

Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation

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