A preliminary federal investigation has found that an air ambulance encountered GPS jamming before it crashed in New Mexico killing all on board and sparking the Seven Cabins Fire.
The accident involved a Beech King Air C-90 air ambulance carrying two pilots and two flight nurses which crashed into the Capitan Mountains near Ruidoso shortly after midnight on May 14. The plane was en route from Roswell to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report found the crew encountered GPS interference linked to military jamming operations originating from White Sands Missile Range. Air traffic controllers temporarily halted the jamming from White Sands Missile Range at the crew's request, but it resumed after pilots reported seeing Sierra Blanca Regional Airport and were cleared for a visual approach. After military GPS jamming resumed, the aircraft descended toward the airport before striking terrain about 230 feet below a mountain summit.
While the report does not determine the specific cause of the crash, it noted that three other aircraft also experienced GPS disruptions that night. Investigators are also examining altitude data discrepancies and the fact that Ruidoso's weather reporting system was out of service, leaving no approved instrument approach available.
A final NTSB report is expected within 12 to 24 months.