King Air Medical Flight Crashes in New Mexico Mountains, Kills Four

A Trans Aero MedEvac Beechcraft King Air C90, registration N249CP, crashed into the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico early Thursday, killing all four people aboard during a medical transport mission.

The aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after midnight May 14 while flying from Roswell Air Center to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Lincoln County. ATC audio indicates the crew experienced GPS failure moments before impact, forcing them to navigate by heading alone through mountainous terrain. Weather reporting equipment at the destination airport was out of service under an active NOTAM, further complicating the night approach.

The crash sparked a wildfire that burned approximately 150 acres before being contained. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA have launched investigations, with preliminary findings expected within weeks. The final probable cause determination could take up to two years under standard NTSB procedures.