Military GPS jamming cited in deadly medical plane crash near Ruidoso

The above video shows the top local headlines for the morning of June 18, 2026. RUIDOSO, N.M. -- A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed there was scheduled military GPS jamming when an air ambulance crashed near Ruidoso in May, killing all four on board. On May 14, an airplane ambulance based out of Roswell, New Mexico, was called to the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso to pick up a patient. Before they arrived in Ruidoso, the plane went down shortly after midnight. The victims included two pilots and two flight nurses. According to the preliminary NTSB report, investigators stated the crew reported losing GPS at midnight, minutes after departure. The report said they had to request assistance from air traffic control. "GPS jamming activities that encompassed the area around the accident flight were being conducted by the United States military during the time of the flight," the report stated. The report said air traffic control called their operation supervisor and requested the military to stop the GPS jamming. Air traffic control tried to guide the aircraft with radar headings and later cleared it for an instrument approach, then switched to a ground-based landing system. Several minutes later, the crew reported having a visual on Ruidoso. There were no other transmissions from the aircraft. The report said flight tracking data showed the aircraft descending, approaching the Capitan mountains, which rise above 10,000 feet. The plane ultimately struck the side of the mountain at about 9,950 feet in elevation. The crash triggered a forest fire, which has since been contained. Weather conditions were clear at the time of the crash. However, investigators noted dark night skies with no moonlight, which could significantly reduce the ability to see terrain. The report also said the weather observation system at the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport was out of service, and required altimeter data for instrument approaches may not have been available to the crew. These findings were preliminary, the report noted. The NTSB investigation is ongoing.