Full Breakdown
New Mexico Medevac Crash Linked to Military GPS-Jamming Exercise
8/5/2026, 9:38:51 PM
Crash Overview
On the morning of May 14, a Trans Aero MedEvac Beechcraft King Air 90 departed Roswell Air Center to retrieve a patient in Ruidoso. Six minutes after takeoff the crew reported loss of GPS capability and requested navigation assistance from Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center. After being vectored toward the airport, the aircraft descended and struck terrain on the Capitan Mountains, killing all four occupants—pilots Captain Keelan Clark and First Officer Ali Kawsara, and two nurses.
Military Exercise and GPS Interference
At the time of the flight, the U.S. Air Force was conducting a week-long electronic-warfare training operation known as NAVFEST at White Sands Missile Range, carried out by the 746th Test Squadron of the 704th Test Group. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a notice stating that navigation systems as far as 400 miles could be affected by the GPS-disrupting technology being tested between May 12 and May 18.
Investigation Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report notes that three other aircraft reported GPS problems in the same period, prompting controllers to ask the military to temporarily suspend the jamming. After controllers confirmed the medevac aircraft was on a visual approach, the military resumed the exercise. The report adds that the crew had been warned through NOTAMs about the scheduled GPS jamming and the outage of Sierra Blanca Regional Airport’s automated weather system. The crash is described as the first known U.S. civilian aircraft accident in which military GPS jamming has been identified as a potential contributing factor.
Impact and Response
The crash ignited a wildfire that burned more than 30,000 acres in the Capitan Mountains for several weeks. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) said a thorough investigation is required to fully understand the cause and prevent future accidents. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reported that reported GPS-interference incidents in the United States rose from four in 2020 to 50 in 2024, then fell slightly to 40 in 2025, highlighting growing concerns about civilian exposure to military electronic-warfare testing.
Data Summary
- Fatalities: 4 (two pilots, two nurses)
- Aircraft: Trans Aero MedEvac Beechcraft King Air 90
- GPS-jamming exercise: NAVFEST, White Sands Missile Range, May 12-18
- Other GPS-affected flights during the period: 3 reported to ATC
- Reported U.S. GPS-interference incidents: 4 (2020), 50 (2024), 40 (2025)
These facts outline the sequence of events, the role of the military training exercise, and the ongoing safety implications for civilian aviation.
