Military GPS jamming originating from the White Sands Missile Range was active when a medical evacuation plane crashed into a New Mexico mountain ridge in May, killing all four people on board, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators confirmed that the Beechcraft C-90 air ambulance collided with terrain in the Capitan Mountains near Ruidoso shortly after midnight on May 14 while en route from Roswell to pick up a patient. The crash killed both pilots and two flight nurses on board, while also igniting a wildfire that burned thousands of acres before being contained.
According to the NTSB preliminary report, the flight crew radioed air traffic controllers during their initial climb to report that they had lost GPS navigation capability. Air traffic control temporarily requested military officials to stop the jamming operations to help guide the aircraft. Other commercial and private pilots flying in the region that night also reported severe GPS interference to air traffic controllers.
Federal investigators noted that the military exercise was announced in advance through standard aviation advisories, which warned of potential GPS signal disruptions within a 240-nautical-mile radius of White Sands Missile Range. However, NTSB data showed significant discrepancies between recorded GPS altitude readings and actual flight tracking data during the flight.
The NTSB emphasized that its preliminary report documents facts gathered so far and does not assign a final probable cause. Federal safety officials and aviation investigators continue to analyze cockpit records, radar data, and the impact of electronic warfare testing on civil aviation safety.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
