Miles Teller pays tribute to Top Gun: Maverick flight instructor after fatal plane crash

Miles Teller has paid tribute to his Top Gun: Maverick flight instructor Charles Thomas 'Chuck' Coleman after he died in plane crash on Sunday.

The Whiplash actor, who played naval aviator Lieutenant Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw in the 2022 film, posted a series of pictures on X showing him and Coleman training for the Tom Cruise-starring blockbuster.

"RIP Chuck Coleman. Chuck was our aerobatics flight instructor and instrumental in our preparation for Top Gun: Maverick," Teller wrote in the caption. "He was an aerospace engineer, air show and test pilot, and our friend and ally."

He continued, "Chuck had a very easy going way about him and we always felt comfortable with his expertise at our disposal. He was kind, humble and curious about others and the world we live in. Gone too soon but his contributions will live on forever. Thanks for the memories, Chuck."

Coleman was performing an aerobatics demonstration during the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo in New Mexico when his two-seat monoplane went down on Sunday afternoon. He was the only person onboard the aircraft.

"We are saddened to share tragic news from the 2024 Las Cruces Air and Space Expo, where a fatal accident claimed the life of pilot Charles Thomas 'Chuck' Coleman, who was based out of California, during Sunday's performance," city officials said in a statement on Facebook on Monday.

The air show was called off after the crash. The incident is still being investigated.