A medevac flight from Roswell Air Center in New Mexico crashed into the Capitan Mountains during its final approach to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport. The accident occurred on a moonless night, killing everyone on board. According to the NTSB preliminary report, the crew experienced GPS interference consistent with jamming activities conducted by U.S. military units in the area.
The Flight and Early Signs of Trouble
The twin-engine Beechcraft King Air departed around 11:52 pm. After receiving instrument flight rules clearance from Albuquerque Center, the pilots began their climb. Around midnight, air traffic control noted the aircraft was 1,000 feet above its assigned altitude. The pilots acknowledged and mentioned they had lost GPS capability. From that point, communication became more complex, with rapidly changing heading instructions.
GPS Interference and the Decision to Switch to Visual Flight
About five minutes after reporting the GPS loss, ATC contacted the military to request a temporary halt to jamming activities. At 12:07 am, the aircraft's GPS instruments resumed normal recording. A minute later, the pilots reported visual contact with Ruidoso, the nearest town, and announced they were transitioning to visual flight rules. This decision, though legal, was made in dark conditions with limited visual references, increasing the risk of spatial disorientation.
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The Hidden Mountain and the Impact
The pilots could not see that the Capitan Mountains, rising over 10,000 feet, stood between them and the airport. Recorded data show a last climb attempt from 9,400 to 9,823 feet, but impact occurred at about 9,950 feet, just below the summit. The darkness made it impossible to discern the mountain profile, and the pilots, likely guided by Ruidoso's lights, began their descent too early. When they realized the obstacle, it was too late to avoid a controlled flight into terrain.
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High Stress and Workload Environment
The crew was under high pressure, with an intensified workload due to changing approach plans. The GPS loss made the planned RNAV approach unusable, and the pilots relied on radar vectors and then visual flight. ATC was also assisting three other aircraft affected by the interference, adding complexity. The lack of awareness that military jamming had been halted likely influenced the decision to fly visually.
Military Exercises and Precedents
This is not the first time military activities have been linked to aviation accidents in the U.S. Last year, a collision between a regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington resulted in 67 fatalities. GPS jamming is common in conflict zones like Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and it had an indirect but significant impact here. Jamming technology is considered a cost-effective countermeasure against drones, but it raises safety concerns for civilian aviation.
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The GPS loss was not the direct cause of the crash, but it triggered a chain of events leading to the tragedy. The NTSB final report will clarify responsibilities, but the incident underscores the need for military exercises to be conducted with greater caution to avoid risks to civilian flights.
