Chuck Coleman Fatal Crash Las Cruces NM

[@sdstreiker]

I knew Chuck. He was generous with his time, and I remember fondly his sharing his joy of aerobatics with me in his Extra 300 when I worked as a flight instructor at KSMO Santa Monica. My condolences to his friends and family.

[@TroyHoffman-7m2]

The real takeaway here is simple. No matter how experienced, prepared and trained we are as pilots, flying allows few mistakes. Ive been in aviation my entire life. Spent many a summer on the airshow circuit....ive seen more tragedies first person than I care to remember. Lost too many friends and even a brother. Flight is a wicked mistress, unforgiving and intolerant....yet so magical. Enjoy every moment, prepare for every eventuality and understand the slightest mistake can result in a tragic outcome....no matter how mundane that flight may be or how experienced we are. FLIGHT IS NOT A HOBBY. Calm winds and clear skies to all those who've passed doing what we love.

[@blancolirio]

Well stated Troy!

[@Anon54387]

Not to split hairs, but to those who fly non-professionally it IS a hobby, but one that can get very dangerous very quickly if close attention isn't kept at all times.

[@quackgarage9551]

My uncle had almost 30k hours, flew every possible thing that you can image. Owned a turbo Arrow and a Beech 18, but spent most of his years crop dusting. The best pilot that i've ever known, but one day, he didn't come back. Weight and balance mistake by the ground crew. He was able to save the plane, but sadly died by internal bleeding from the two point seat belt. Flying is not a cute hobby and every single flight should be treated accordingly.

[@ljfinger]

One of the many reasons I fly RC. I crashed from a high-speed stall once. Went home and repaired the airplane.

[@jsmith8891]

Driving is the same. If you get into and operate anything that moves on or throughout any element this planet has to offer, you must respect it. Because once it's out of control, it ain't up to you no more.

[@Saltlick11]

Been watching you a long time and rarely seen your bite, which seems warranted in this case. That presentation was perfect. These guys make this aerobatic work seem so routine yet it's obviously the perfect combination of skill, artistry and substantial preparation. So few can do it. Sad to see this great aviator leave us this way. RIP aviator.

[@limbeboy7]

Airplane crashes are in the majority caused by experienced pilots. They get too comfortable with the universal constant: Gravity

[@nowjustanother]

My Dad was good friends with Henry Haigh, who was a World Grand Champion back in the 1980s. Henry practiced hard and as he got older, decided to hang it up when he got dizzy after a particularly difficult maneuver. He died in his own bed, but he knew many fellow aerobatic pilots who weren't so fortunate.

[@rondyechannel1399]

My father, a life long aviator and enthusiast lost his 2 best friends in aerobatic accidents before he decided to quit. After 50 years flying the loss hit him hard.

[@mustangsandwich]

There's a name I haven't seen for a long time. Henry was a great competitor. I remember his reluctance toward airshow flying, especially with spins - if I remember correctly. RIP...

[@nowjustanother]

@@rondyechannel1399 My Dad lost two best friends as well in “normal” flight operations. The second one, his best friend, really hit my Dad hard.

[@luismartinez-my1nk]

The old "no such thing as old, bold pilots" saying gets another victim.

[@gregorylewis8471]

So sad to hear of Chuck Coleman's passing. R.I.P. Chuck! Thanks for all the performances! Thank you Juan, for so sensitively outlining the accident for us.

[@jameshisself7375]

This is why I got out. Too many dead friends whom I considered every bit as good as I was. I miss it sometimes, but not at times like these.

[@R760-E2]

It's a wonder I survived my years in that business. Lost a number of friends over the years.

[@ericvadekro8334]

What I always said to my student skydivers… ‘if you stick around in the sport long enough you will experience bad stuff and lose friends’ 😢

[@Secretarian]

Kudos to you James. I remember when Richard Collins, a writer at Flying magazine, voluntarily stopped flying period. I thought that was a praiseworthy thing to do, given the "it won't happen to me" mindset that is so prevalent in aviation

[@gdiup9241]

Sailing is safer, stuff happens max at 10 knots.

[@pfsantos007]

@@gdiup9241 The boat may be at 10 knots, the stuff shifting, moving and rotating around you may be slower, but harder.

[@TomJones-uf5sl]

Oh, crud. Chuck Coleman was a very fun and intelligent man who really knew aerobatics. This really tears at my heart. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

It can happen to any of us at any time. Really a tragedy to see. Condolences to family and friends, truly.

[@frankwilliams4445]

Why does your comment give off AI vibes

[@69dblcab]

Well done Juan. I see this one hits you a bit harder than most of your videos. Sorry for your loss and the aviation communities loss. All the best. Hugs and Prayers to all.

[@tomtom9184]

It's when really experienced and careful pilots get caught that really humbles me.

[@valerierodger]

Yep. It shows that it really can happen to anyone.

[@charliehilbrant]

So well said. This loss hits a little different.

[@Taladar2003]

Experienced sure, skilled absolutely, meticulous definitively, careful on the other hand is about as far as it gets from this kind of flying.

[@wayne9638]

exactly

[@luismartinez-my1nk]

Simple statistics. You pull on the tiger's tail enough times, eventually he'll bite you. And yes I'm a pilot.

[@sgtzsquad]

I was a wrench turner and multimeter user on the AV8A. Watching your channel has given me even more respect for the pilots flying. Semper Fi!

[@neuropilot7310]

Thank you for your service, Marine! The AV-8A and AV-8B are not a forgiving aircraft to fly, according to my test pilot friends. Most other jets, my friends can do a sim checkout, checkride with an instructor to stay current. After that, they fly a few training flights, then fly the test cards as planned. A Harrier, especially an AV-8A or Sea Harrier, they need to really, really be sharp on their game, workups with multiple dual instructor rides, before they are safe to fly the jet as the pilot, or not at all. That is when they are semi-current, and don't need to spend months at FRS first, to regain their quals in the jet.

[@stevenshanofski6801]

Knew 9 people in 7 separate accidents from 1990 when I graduated college to 1994 when I quit flying. Was an airline pilot 3 of those 4 years. Personal friends and coworkers. Have known 12 people over my lifetime with the first one happening when I was 7 years old. It was a great career but takes its toll.

[@philkearny5587]

Gravity wins all arguments.

[@simonbaxter8001]

So tragic and the margins are so small ... but I never understood why aerobatic manoeuvres, especially at US air shows, always have an exit altitude so low (50 to 100ft AGL). It really gives zero margin of error and has caught so many good pilots out over the years. It really needs a minimum base altitude of at least 250 to 500 feet, to give some kind of safety margin. I don't go to air shows to see how low someone can get exiting a manoeuvre ... I go to see great planes, manoeuvres and more importantly, everyone going home to their families at the end of the day!

[@valerierodger]

I agree - I have a great respect for the amount of skill that it takes to perform such a maneuver, and I appreciate watching it; allowing for a greater safety margin wouldn’t diminish that enjoyment whatsoever, and we wouldn’t lose such incredibly talented and respected pilots.

[@alanstubbs7089]

Absolutely agree, accurately repeating identical manoeuvres is great but if there's a slight difference and just based on the side by side videos it did look like the approach to the manouver was slightly slower and lower than the first. As you said another 100/200 ft min altitude could have changed this tragic accident. My heart goes out to friends and family ❤❤. To all the brilliant pilot's out there please give yourself some extra space as the crowds always get to go home whatever happens.

[@daniels2761]

The maneuvers are done low so the spectators can get a good view. As far as flying low, it's all in the preparation. Most practice is done considerably higher, and pilots have done the routine 100s of times. Most will extend or regroup if they don't have enough energy. They have to stay in the box, but instruments and judgement have to be number one. They have an airspeed for every stunt and the good pilots stick to it.

[@chrisnoname2725]

@@alanstubbs7089the crowds don’t always get to go home when something goes wrong. What you’re telling people to do is to put on a lesser show, so you can feel comfortable. Should I go to the sprintcars and tell them to take it easy because i don’t want them getting hurt? No they want to race and I want to watch. No different to these pilots. If you don’t want to be involved then don’t go. There is a significant difference in how a manoeuvre looks based on proximity to the ground or other aircraft.

[@Toro_Da_Corsa]

He looks too low on this one

[@danmac2925]

I started flying in the 1970s. Most of the Oshkosh air show performers from the 1980s have died from crashes, unless they quit.

[@josephoberlander]

Same with race car drivers. Eventually you get old and need to quit as a split second slower is often more than you have. :(

[@dohabandit]

There are old pilots, and bold pilots, and everyone knows old pilots are boring... (except for Juan Brown and his wonderfully informative channel)

[@truracer20]

@@josephoberlander Been involved in motorsports for over 35 years, NO most don't die from crashes. Very few in fact. The vast majority who last into old age simply quit. Whether it's fear, loss of agility, slower recovery, financial, family, just life, physical ability, or age related health problems.. They just stop, step back, retire, quit, walk away, pick your term. I know of more local crew members killed at racing events than drivers. Even Bloomquist, it wasn't a racecar that got him.

[@deantait8326]

Was the Racing Director for Pennzoil during Art Shoals aerobatics in his Pennzoil Chipmunk. Lost Art not long after I left the company. RIP to all Pilots

[@MatthewRuno]

I had a training flight with Chuck about a year ago in his Extra. He was such a good teacher, and I was looking forward to flying with him again.

[@Lando62]

That's why I fly RC now. I can walk away from my mistakes. And EVERYBODY eventually makes a mistake.

[@paulholterhaus7084]

And I gave up RC because the crashes just got too expensive.............Paul

[@SkipGetelman]

As a pilot I love RC so my mistakes only cost money

[@navar45000]

It's also pretty easy to fly a mistake or two high in rc. I fly 3d and have many close calls in over 500 flights on my plane but my height always saved me.

[@haroldanderson6021]

I've lost count of how many fatal R/C crashes I've had since the 90's. Several spectacular midairs too. I guess it's all the KZbin videos but I will no longer fly GA with anyone...

[@LukeJenkIns-i5t]

As a brand new Student of aerobatics I greatly appreciate your defense of the art, thank you! Absolutely love this channel and cannot express my appreciation of the knowledge I gain from these break downs

[@royb.1441]

For some reason, this one really accentuates (in my opinion) how quickly things can go from bad to fatal.

[@williampotter2098]

Well said. And very true.

[@pmccoy8924]

Seems to be happening way more than before it seems at this shows. I know it's simply because they're all online now but almost takes the joy out of them.

[@stephenshoihet2590]

Yep, flying in general is very unforgiving of mistakes.

[@youtubeis...]

@@stephenshoihet2590yeah its like opening a 400 amp cabinet and have to work inside

[@williampotter2098]

@@stephenshoihet2590 Most of the time you get more than one before catastrophe strikes. But yes, sometimes only one is fatal.

[@bubblebus1]

My wholehearted respect for your ability to report on such events, bringing the truth even when it affects you personally.

[@pittss2c601]

Similar to the pilot that recently crashed the Gamebird. Aerobatics too low (one maneuver too low). Early in his career, Sean Tucker was busted by Bob Hoover for that very thing. Sean was constantly diving at the ground. Bob told him to “Knock it off” and he did.

[@R760-E2]

One night in the bar where we were staying when we were doing the the show at Hamilton Field, the Hoov got on my ass about my flying too. "You don't need to try to impress anyone, you're starting to scare us now". A great man, that was one of the big influences on me.

[@mikercflyer7383]

They were the best of friends.

[@sunshineflyer]

@@R760-E2+ that is just it. Maybe some viewers get a thrill out of the extreme *real* danger, or like crashes, but most of the audience is going to be traumatised after seeing something like that. I love air shows, but I like the danger to be pretty much fake. I’m surprised that the pilot didn’t have a little sidebar treat in reserve that he could use, given the obvious difference in Sunday’s flight, to get back to the sequence’s starting point for the correct trajectory.

[@TheFleetflyer]

Never met Bob Hoover, but I met Chuck Yeager, when I was a teenage pilot, and got him to sign my logbook. He wrote ‘Fly safe!’. At that age I thought this was somewhat dull, but now I fly aerobatics, formation and mock combat, I often contemplate what he wrote and try to do dangerous things in as considered and safe a way as possible.

[@guywithsocks]

Thanks for explaining density altitude 👍🏼

[@timmotel5804]

Thank You Juan. Peace & Best Wishes.

[@Cajundaddydave]

My parents had a place on Pine Mountain Lake Airport and for a while there were quite a few aerobatic pilots with Extra 300 who regularly flew out of there. Always fun to watch as they practiced their routines in the area. My condolences to Chuck's family over this tragic loss.

[@DreadnautVS]

I believe that tumbling maneuver over the top is a 'Lomcovak', named by Czechoslovakian aerobatic pilot Ladislav Bezák's mechanic. It means "headache".

[@oibal60]

Yup.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

More like a serious case of having a "Hangover"...

[@scotabot7826]

Yes, but these were not full lomcovaks, just partial outside "tumbles". Close cousins though.

[@aviator775]

The whole maneuver is an accelerated stall. When the momentum runs out due to drag, you are left in a spin which you then recover from. Sounds like he was just too low when he entered. I am no expert, but my instructor demonstrated a lomcovak during my acro training and explained the maneuver during our preflight briefing.

[@lahodal]

It's Lomcovák. Means "buffeter", not headache. From the verb "to buffet" (strike with blows, contend with)

[@phoenixryzen-qm1br]

You are spot on… thank you for covering this one. I saw a comment, why allow these low maneuvering at shows. IMO it’s amazing to see these shows close up, the smells, sights and the sounds make you feel apart of the learning various of aircraft and the history of aviation. It’s the difference between going to a live concert or turning on the radio. It’s an honor meeting and talking to those who love to share their passion up close and demonstrating the bond pilots have with their planes. Truly the bravery it takes to show us common people…is astounding , and unfortunately losing one such person reminds us all to well of that.

[@skyboy1956]

It's more the NASCAR mentality. Spectators with no skin in the game want to see crashes. These days an airshow pilot won't have much of a career in the airshow business if they don't have a repetorie full of gyroscopic/tumbling maneuvers. Everyone in the business knows it's dangerous because there is no escape when things go wrong but they do it anyway or they can kiss their airshow career adios.

[@111doomer]

You can do everything right and if what you're doing is inherently risky sometimes it doesn't matter. Small margins or just bad luck. Sorry for your loss Juan it came across like this one hurt.

[@skycop56]

Good analysis, and thanks for your consideration to the performer and his family in your video.

[@stringpicker5468]

I live near small rural airfield in Australia. It's popular with gliders and aerobatics folks. I was watching a plane practising what I think is the same manoeuvre a few days ago. It looks and is impressive, but he was at noticeably higher altitude. Very sad.

[@ytzpilot]

RIP Chuck, thanks again Juan

[@robertoler3795]

a tough loss, a fine man, an outstanding aviator, mentor and teacher. we are better for him being here and he will be missed...fair seas and following winds Sir

[@Onceayoungidiot]

My instructor, who was a retired RAF fast jet pilot, always used to say ‘there are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.’ Such terribly small margins for error doing that stuff. RIP.

[@mmoly-cj4bd]

Bob Hoover was old and bold. He died on October 25, 2016, near his home in Los Angeles at the age of 94 from heart failure. What he could do with an airplane was absolutely astounding.

[@Onceayoungidiot]

@@mmoly-cj4bd Fair enough. There are always exceptions that prove the rule.

[@mysterjd34]

This one hits close to home. I could see them practicing Friday and (had I been home) could have seen them performing from my house in Picacho hills.

[@FutureSystem738]

Thanks Juan, as always, great coverage. It’s always very sad to hear stories of the loss of a professional like this.

[@dwaynemcallister7231]

Not many aerobatic pilots die from old age, Bob Hoover being a exception, even he had some close calls like when he scraped the belly of his Commander coming out of a loop after some people wanted him to add some more danger to his routine.

[@richardmoolenschot7820]

In the 1970’s I was living in Johannesburg and went to an air show where Bob Hoover gave his famous demonstration of the Shrike Commander . The airfield altitude is around 6000 feet, the weather a typical hot summers day and the density altitude must have been a few thousand feet higher. He completed his display with the dead stick aerobatics with no problem. Another demonstration followed of a Britten Norman Trislander. The pilot misjudged the exit from a loop and hit the ground in front of my eyes in pan cake fashion, bounced into the air, engines fell off and finally came to rest without fatalities but he suffered severe spinal problems. That just emphasized to me how good a pilot Bob Hoover was.

[@6yjjk]

@@richardmoolenschot7820 Jesus. Looping a Trislander?

[@6yjjk]

Who looks at Bob Hoover's routine and goes "Nah, needs more danger"?!

[@skyboy1956]

Bob Hoover did not approve of "extreme aerobatics" which are popular today. I heard him say that at least twice. Let's face it, in this era an airshow pilot's career will be short lived if s/he doesn't have a repetoire full of gyroscopic and tumbling maneuvers. That's what spectators want to see and that's what draws the crowds. Also why I stopped watching airshows. There is no escape when something goes wrong and I've seen enough planes fly into the ground for one lifetime.

[@paulpaulsen7777]

Obviously they don't learn anything from that

[@gerrydepp8164]

Superlative explanation of a very sad event. RIP Chuck

[@martinuribe4722]

RIP Sir! Thank you for your service, and prayers for the family and loved ones. It sounds cliche, and it doesn’t lessen the pain, but he left this world doing what he loved. He will be greatly missed by the aviation community.

[@talkwithtiffanychannel]

Oh wow. Thank you for breaking this down for us.

[@geedubb2005]

I was surprised that one of the local news channels showed the impact. We’re still having 90 degree days. Thanks Juan.

[@arnaldoleon1]

This is the last thing I wanted to read this morning. Chuck was the first person to ever give me an aerobatic flight 20 years ago. RIP my man

[@johnmoore8599]

That's really sad and unfortunate. Condolences to his family.

[@DriverDad58]

For some, the danger of doing extreme things is built into their very nature. They show us what is possible. They show us what passion means. They inspire us. They deserve our greatest respect.

[@chrisnoname2725]

@@groth3395Being dead isn’t all he did in his life. People only concerned with safety are likely to have that as their only achievement. Your perspective is abnormal

[@1shARyn3]

In gist, Density Altitude is the altitude that the plane thinks it is flying at

[@scotabot7826]

Yes literally, you can be at 200 ft agl and the sirplane thinks it's at 9,000 ft agl.

[@cgfacer3022]

This is going to sound obnoxious, but yes and no. There’s a lot of different ways to consider the altitude an airplane “thinks” it’s at 😂

[@zachansen8293]

@@scotabot7826 I don't know what you think AGL means but this is not what it means. AGL is irrelevant here.

[@chrisnoname2725]

@@zachansen8293It’s less irrelevant than AMSL. DA determines performance and AGL determines the distance between where you’re planning to end the manoeuvre and the point it is ended regardless of your input. AMSL is only relevant to calculating DA. When operating at low level why would i care about AMSL?

[@chrisnoname2725]

@@zachansen8293you could have respectfully said that AGL is not used to calculate density altitude but field elevation, QNH and temperature. If you know the density altitude of the ground then you can use AGL to calculate the DA at the heights you need to know your performance to be able to not hit the ground. I know it’s a relative to AMSL on an ICAO standard day.

[@modshaman]

Brian's video comparison was OUTSTANDING

[@Ifly1976]

“Fly jets long enough and this bound to happen” -Viper. As someone who dips my toes into basic aerobatics, this type of high risk flying is just not something I would be interested in. Flying is dangerous enough as it is, I just can’t bring myself to fly with zero margin. Prayers to those that were close to him, from everything I’ve heard he was a great person, anyone who ever watched him fly knows what kind of pilot he was. Rest in peace sir.

[@scotabot7826]

It takes a different kind of breed to do this kind of flying right on the deck.

[@Ifly1976]

@@scotabot7826 not me…. I value my family more than a thrill

[@noturnleftunstoned72]

We lost a giant asset in the world of aviation. A rare breed from what I hear. R.I.P. to both of them

[@bradsanders407]

Both?

[@TheSnookman]

Seen so many crashes where an extra 500ft of altitude would've kept them off the 'news.' 😢

[@peterebel7899]

It is always the very last 10ft which hurt most.

[@robertpierce1981]

Assuming you knew him Juan. Sorry for your loss.

[@tedsaylor6016]

That cloud deck on Sunday, might have somehow lowered the altitude or airspeed (energy) at the start of the maneuver.

[@crapton9002]

Juan, it appeared Chuck never throttled up after recovering from the stall. Thanks for all you do. We await the NTSB report.

[@crapton9002]

@@shannonwhitaker9630 Come back and edit that post, it makes no sense. Most comment sections are a zoo of ignorance and trolls. I feel Juan's pain.

[@pigdroppings]

Juan has a lot more knowledge of this type of aviation than NTSB bureaucrats.

[@ydonl]

@user-sg8yb7pg8h If somebody said “grow up,” would you understand what they meant?

[@valerierodger]

@@pigdroppings 🙄 investigators aren’t bureaucrats, and Juan doesn’t have access to all the information that they do - so, yeah, the NTSB report will absolutely provide a greater understanding of what went wrong.

[@JoshuaTootell]

No no no, the KZbinrs and comments section are always right ​@@valerierodger!

[@MWTGoldenGun]

I've known three pilots who have died in accidents since I've been aviating. Two flight instructors and a friend lost, none of them involved with aerobatics. It really resonated when Juan said that if you're in it long enough, things are going to happen.

[@ericvadekro8334]

Density altitude is an important factor in many accidents it seems (I’m not a pilot btw). Thanks for the explanation. A sad loss…. Rest in peace

[@pamlove421]

I got my ppl in El Paso in 1990. I did all my training in a Cessna 172. They don't use Cessna 150 in this area because of density altitude.

[@QuantumStellar]

HEY! i'm an Expert armchair Aviator! As a matter of fact, I upgraded my chair to a swivel chair with leg rests...so there, im a swivel chair aviator, which demands respect...especially with the added leg rest option Juanny!

[@Livi_2204]

That’s so interesting that you watch a video about someone else DYING and here you are demanding respect in the comment section… Minimal respect given for that.

[@QuantumStellar]

@Livi_2204 no brain, no gain.

[@NStraveler]

“If you stay in this business long enough…”. I lost a great friend, another co worker and two hometown acquaintances inside of a year in separate aviation accidents. Mr. Juan Brown featured one of the accidents on his KZbin channel. I was nearby flying for the same agency as my friend when he died. I appreciate Mr. Brown discussing the human factors and pilot error while still providing dignity to the individual and their family. If you are ever up in Canada Mr. Brown you are always welcome on the east coast with our crowd of flyers. Thanks

[@BobcatBart]

As a spectator I've never found these types of stunts all that entertaining. I'd rather see the plane simply fly by at low altitude and a wing at a 45 or 90 degree angle. Kudos for having the skill to pull these stunts off as long as he did.

[@IsaanRick]

When you said “ if you stay in this business long enough you will experience loss of friends “. Or loss of YOU! Up to you, if you want to put you and your family in that situation for nothing more than…. Entertainment!

[@kevinhendley8524]

Shout out to Brian for this this amazing comparison

[@CAPFlyer]

So sorry to hear of this accident. Eerily similar to the Jim LeRoy crash I sadly witnessed in 2006 @ Dayton. Started too low, didn't recognize quick enough, and couldn't recover in time. Also the Jack Rosamond F-86 crash at Jeffco (now Rocky Mountain Regional) in 1997.

[@MA-ro5qi]

Tragic. Thanks for the report sir. RIP Aviator Coleman.

[@josephroberts6865]

Sad to hear of the loss of an aerobatic pilot. Flying consists of inherent risks. Aerobatic flying is simply a dangerous but highly entertaining business. Performing aerobatic maneuvers relatively close to the ground leaves no margin for error and literally requires perfection. Sadly, we’re imperfect and accidents occur. RIP and Godspeed Mr. Coleman! Condolences to his family and friends.

[@joshuapatrick682]

All I can say is few of us are fortunate enough to go out doing what we love. Rest in peace sir.

[@SimonWallwork]

As my flying experience built, I started to wonder 'why am I doing this'.

[@SimonWallwork]

After 14,000 hours- going to concentrate on my Son, my cars and the Wife- and a bit of spotting. A bunch of people I knew are deed.

[@litarea]

​@@SimonWallwork There is no shame in prioritizing being there for the ones you love.

[@yamkaw346]

@@SimonWallwork Why do I fly? To provide for my family. It’s a good paying career

[@MeppyMan]

I’m the opposite. Grew up in aviation and wish I had stuck with it. This type of flying is inherently risky, it’s like comparing normal driving to racing. You ran down it safely, but the risk profile is very different.

[@bradsanders407]

​@@MeppyManracing is much safer than driving. Its very rare for a fatality in a up to par racecar. Where as your chance of dyimg on a public road in a crash is 1 in 101.

[@kendrapratt2098]

Sorry for your loss, Captain. Could see this one was especially hard for you

[@Eric-do8fv]

I graduated high-school with Chuck. We will all miss him.

[@MrRem7600]

Fantastic analysis - I watched this over and over from the news sources unable to pick any point in the routine that led to this, left me thinking "how?" - slowed down and explained like you did it's clear as anything.

[@jamesbruce1183]

Condolences. I do not do anything like this but I have done similar aerobatics with model airplanes. In some maneuvers, the outcome will vary (we don't try to be near as precise unless competition) so we try to fly two mistakes high. I have seen airshow pilots do this to give themselves more margin. It can be very unnerving when you exit a maneuver at a different attitude than expected. Or as you said when one wing stalls unexpectedly. Did my first snaproll at the top of a loop unintentionally.

[@jtuttle11]

It's called the 'Lomcevak' or 'Falling Leaf. An aerobatic maneuver invented back in the 1960s by Russian aerobatic pilots. The randomness and unrepeatable nature of the maneuver got it BANNED from international competition. It was also the maneuver flown by Bryan Jensen in Kansas City in his modified Pitts M-12 that resulted in His crash and Death.

[@bobwilson758]

Thanks - I had no idea how to spell that . Amazing at high altitude .

[@GeneralDesignInnovation-es4zz]

The Falling Leaf is nothing at all like a Lomcevak. A Falling Leaf is a series of arrested spin entries, right, left, right, left, falling...like a leaf. A very gentle maneuver. And yes, I have done many of them.

[@theplanechannel3857]

@@GeneralDesignInnovation-es4zzyea, you can do that in a C172

[@harryspeakup8452]

1. Invented by Czech pilots, on the Zlin 226, not by Russian pilots, which is why it has a Czech name rather than a Russian name 2. Nothing whatsoever to do with the Falling Leaf, which is a completely different and distinct manouevre 3. ABSOLUTELY not banned from international competition, which is why it is so often seen in - you guessed it - international competition

[@winstonchurchill3597]

I remember an interview with an aerobatic pilot who said Bob Hoover walked up to him after his performance and told him to raise it up a bit. Said the crowd wouldn’t know the difference and it would help his longevity.

[@blancolirio]

Sean Tucker...

[@BethanyCarvalho]

I live here in Cruces and saw him flying from our property..... about 20 mins later the Air Method helicopter buzzed my house at a minimum altitude hauling ass. Didn't know it at the time but they had recovered Chuck. Flying time from Las Cruces Airport to Memorial Hospital is a matter of mins. probably 7-10 mins. They gave him their absolute best effort. Honestly Ive never seen the Air Methods guys fly that fast. Sad day. I know chuck was most likely aware of our altitude out here in cruces but a lot of ppl forget we're truly high desert.

[@grumpy3543]

So sad. Thanks Juan. It just looks like he didn’t have as much energy entering onto the 45 as he did on Friday. And you can that that at the top where he starts the maneuver. He didn’t have near the altitude. It could have been the angle of the two videos because they were shot in different locations. But something looked different.

[@flyingardilla143]

I learned to fly at Las Cruces. On a hot day, you would have to think light thoughts to get the C-152 off the runway.

[@steve2736]

Agree. I learned on a C152. The performance degradation in hot weather, and at elevation is brutal.

[@mustangsandwich]

Exactly! He lost his angle on the 45 upline during the rolling - causing him to enter that conical tumble at near horizontal. I never did air shows, but used to fly a lot of aerobatics. It was always my understanding to start the tumble after a 60 degree upline - the classic lomcevok-entering angle. This reminds me of the OBerg accident very much. He was barely above horizontal while entering it while also not going with full rudder input. What most don't realize is that this kind of flying creates a very wild, sometimes confusing situation in the cockpit. It makes it very hard to stay focused on all the details. Sad to see this happen again. Sad to see the loss of a fellow aviator. Keep up the good work with your videos.

[@phillipleeds296]

Thanks for your clear analysis in this and all your videos.

[@gapster46]

A few years we flew to an airport at an elevation of 4,420 feet to see the Thunderbirds perform. Temps were probably 75 to 80 degrees F. I stopped on the way home for fuel as I had an experience before at this airport due to a hot day and full fuel in a C-150, and did not want to push it. After the show, I was waiting in the crowd waiting for autographs and when one of the pilots got to me I asked him if density altitude affected them and I was surprised when he said “Yes”. Even F-16's have to pay attention to density altitude.

[@califcamper]

This is so sad, damn...RIP Chuck, never forgotten

[@aviationavenue2261]

This is a tough loss for the airshow industry and aviation community. Chuck was one of the best pilots out there. Well respected and loved by everyone who knew him. I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing him for my KZbin channel and podcast. He gave me the best advice. He will be missed. Blue skies and tailwinds, Chuck. 😢🫡🙏🏻🕊️

[@mnztr1]

Man if a pilot of that skill level could make a mistake .......some of these accidents with super highly skilled and experienced pilots blow my mind.

[@lawrencehayes5140]

So very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.

[@gregdankert]

In early training I often heard -“There are no old bold pilots” as a cautionary tale

[@n1lul]

Thank you for these videos. i am sure they are tough for you to do.

[@pnzrldr]

This highlights the very thin margins airshow performers are operating at. Bleeding low time compared to folks doing this, but I don't think that audiences get so much more from the riskiest maneuvers. As a frequent spectator, and budding aero pilot, I'm happy to see well executed low altitude maneuvers that are not quite so bleeding edge on control and options. Give yourself some outs - the crowd will still love you. Sad to see him go.

[@Herlongian]

Wind current differences, density altitude differences, weight difference due to varying fuel, unwashed plane-any of these variables and many more you can think of will affect the plane slightly differently each time therefore you cannot rely on “split second timing” because that too would be variable each time. This accident was caused by performing aerobatics at too low an altitude. Ask yourself a question. When you were first learning to fly, at what altitude agl did you do you do stall practice? It was high with even more high for a safety margin of course.

[@awachsmann]

Great analysis of such a tragic event. It only takes one mistake.

[@scotabot7826]

And a small minor one at that!!

[@valerierodger]

Low-level aerobatics is an extended game of Russian Roulette - your odds are much better than one in six, and the more skill you have the better your chances of survival, but that bullet is always there and the longer you play the more likely it is that your luck will run out. I’ve been waiting for this video to come out. The first I heard of his death was a short news clip where the reporter said he started to level off then lost control and the plane somersaulted - and most of the people in the comment section also assumed that the tumble was him losing control, suggesting that he had a medical issue or blacked out or something. It was extremely frustrating, given that it would be obvious to anybody familiar with airshows that the tumbling was a deliberate maneuver, and that he either started to low for some reason or the recovery took longer than expected. I had found a video of his routine and could spot the point where it seemed to me things might have gone wrong, but I couldn’t tell what had gone wrong or why. Now I can finally start pointing people at this video… I found the video difficult to watch - seeing him recovering and knowing he’s too close to the ground to make it in time.

[@TheTechnoPilot]

Same, ignorance of media is so frustrating in these moments. Sadly it seems he got too far on the backside of the energy curve with what was likely a slower entry at a lower altitude so the tumble fell out into an inverted spin. Then attempting an upright recovery (perhaps an inverted recovery might have been different not having to pass the vertical?) sadly gave him no room to recover.

[@Brian.Murray]

It was quite surreal to see hear the announcers calming everyone. Some of the performers were noting how low he was. Hopefully the NTSB will be able to get some data from his EFIS.

[@blancolirio]

Thanks Brian for your work capturing the Saturday show!

[@tomchidwick]

A very sad and tragic loss. Rest in peace Chuck Coleman.

[@patchmack4469]

so true Juan, i tend to think myself when you do these maneuveurs so often, at some point something will bite your ass sooner or later, as nice as it may seem for the displayers to give the public what they want being closer to the crowd, so many of us are armed with good quality cameras and are able to simply zoom in and see what we need - those precious split seconds in altitude make all the difference - so sorry to lose yet another very capable pilot

[@57Jimmy]

Wow! I just watched another experienced military/commercial pilots channel and his DA calculation was 11,900’! I am not here to criticize any one as I highly respect each and every one of you great pilots, but it shows how easily any two people can arrive at two different conclusions to the same questions!😳

[@blancolirio]

Lol, at 75 degrees?!

[@PatrickDuffy-u3s]

I fly aerobatic models, and I spent hours practicing on the simulator to perfect these moves, but on occasion still made a mistake and crashed. I now fly with the 2-mistake rule - have enough altitude to recover from two mistakes and 99% of the time I can recover. From the video, he simply took too much risk flying low.

[@valerierodger]

Too much risk flying low - well that’s airshow aerobatics in a nutshell

[@davidsmith7906]

1% wrong unfortunately means 100% dead. Very traumatic for family , friends and spectators. I, too, am reluctant to go to air shows involving low level aerobatics.

[@Taladar2003]

@@valerierodger Maybe showing off and safety just aren't very compatible.

[@calburnIII]

When I took an aerobatics course back in the 80s, I realized that I could never get good enough to do low level stuff. It was a great experience, but I’m a much better spectator than I could ever have become an aerobatics pilot. I had one flight with Betty Stewart, which convinced me I could never be good enough. My condolences to his family and friends. I’m truly sorry for your loss.

[@bluetrue6062]

Have a friend in US Army Aviation. We were going through a photo album of his. Several times, he pointed out several a outstanding pilots he knew that were no longer with us. He had some close calls himself. Quite sobering to see the number of outstanding pilots who ran against bad luck either due to equipment failure or " minor" miscalculation". We had several folks in our Armored unit die due to the same thing. Makes you examine yourself and why you are still here because there for the Grace of God go I.

[@markmatuszak4527]

In my 50+ years and 30,000 hours - 37+ years with a major airline, I have known many pilots who were addicted to aerobatics. Unfortunately it seems if one doe this long enough, with enough intensity, they get die performing or practicing. Whether they make a mistake, or have a physical event, or the plane breaks... It happens none the less. I never could wrap my head around the attraction.

[@jimslimm6090]

I would venture to guess that he couldn't wrap his head around guys that just want to sit in a seat and fly for thousands of hours and for decades. It really doesn't matter if anybody understands anybody else's thought process about things that many people choose to do for enjoyment.

[@markmatuszak4527]

@@jimslimm6090 I agree with your comments...

[@SKIPWOOD-UA777CAPT]

Juan is exactly right... aerobatics is the meeting of science and art... I never did low level aerobatics... its also why I never became a Navy SEAL... I knew my limitations

[@chipgarner8555]

I've flown sailplanes in New Mexico and we often find 1500 feet per minute and stronger updrafts when the clouds look like that. (Downdrafts also but these tend to be less concentrated most of the time.) I wonder if this could have been a factor. It might not take much turbulence to push a wing up or down such that he didn't get the knife edge.

[@doofhund3526]

If the density altitude affects the lift of the wings, does it also affect the power output of the engine? Sad to hear of this man’s passing.

[@craig7350]

Its incredible these guys are flying these maneuvers at this altitude, just at the verge of being totally out of control.

[@johnstreet797]

Sorry for the loss of your compadre Juan.

[@fspfathersonpaintball6177]

Spot on Juan. when I watched the other video, you could see that the maneuver didnt go to plan and a substantial amount of time was spent inverted compared to the previous day resulting in insufficient airspeed and room to recover. Its a tragic loss for sure, prayers to the family.

[@BKD70]

Well crap. I knew Chuck years ago back when he lived in St. Louis and flew out of KSUS. Super good, down to earth, humble guy. Damn.

[@ToddDunning]

So we're familiar with takeoff performance charts. Do the aerobatic guys have something similar?

[@DanTaron-l5o]

I heard about this in the news. Great to see your analysis.