New Mexico, United States: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary findings into the fatal crash of a medevac Beechcraft King Air C90 in New Mexico, revealing that the crew experienced a loss of GPS navigation capability while military GPS jamming operations were active in the region.
The accident occurred shortly after midnight on May 14, 2026, near Lincoln, New Mexico. The aircraft, registration N249CP, was operating as an air ambulance flight under Part 135 regulations. The flight was being conducted by Generations Jets on behalf of Trans Aero Medical Services.
All four people aboard the aircraft, two pilots and two flight nurses were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire.
According to the NTSB, the flight departed Roswell Air Center at approximately 11:52 p.m. local time on May 13 and was headed to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso to pick up a patient for transport to Albuquerque.
Investigators found that military GPS jamming activities were underway during the flight and encompassed the route being flown. Shortly after departure, the crew informed Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center that the aircraft had lost GPS capability and requested heading guidance from controllers.
The crew initially planned to fly the RNAV (GPS) approach into Ruidoso but later requested the ILS Runway 24 approach after losing satellite-based navigation. During the same period, several other aircraft in the region also reported GPS disruptions, with one pilot requiring additional assistance to identify a ground-based navigation aid.
Air traffic controllers contacted military authorities and requested that GPS jamming be suspended. Controllers subsequently provided radar vectors toward the airport.
At approximately 12:08 a.m., while about 31 miles northeast of Ruidoso, the flight crew reported that they had the airport area in sight and could proceed visually. Controllers cleared the aircraft for a visual approach and advised that the crew could cancel IFR once established.
No further communications were received from the aircraft.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft turning southwest toward Sierra Blanca Regional Airport and beginning its descent. The route crossed the Capitan Mountains, a rugged terrain area with peaks exceeding 10,000 feet.
The aircraft descended to roughly 9,400 feet before initiating a slight climb. The final recorded position placed the airplane at about 9,823 feet and traveling approximately 150 knots. Seconds later, the aircraft struck terrain at an elevation of about 9,950 feet near the Capitan Mountains Summit Radio Facility.
The impact occurred only a few hundred feet from the aircraft’s final recorded position and triggered a post-crash fire that later spread into a forest fire.
The preliminary report also revealed that pilots had been provided notices warning of GPS interference before departure. The flight briefing package contained a NOTAM advising that GPS, WAAS, GBAS and ADS-B services could be unavailable across a large area of New Mexico due to military operations.
Additional notices indicated that Sierra Blanca Regional Airport’s automated weather observation system was out of service. Investigators noted that no METAR or TAF weather reports were available for the airport at the time of the accident.
The NTSB emphasized that the report is preliminary and that no probable cause has yet been determined. Investigators continue to examine the role of GPS interference, flight crew actions, navigation challenges, terrain clearance and other operational factors.
A final report establishing the probable cause of the accident is expected following completion of the investigation.
