New Mexico Medical Plane Crash Sparks Wildfire, Killing All 4 Crew Members Near Ruidoso

A medical transport plane crashed into a rugged mountain range near Ruidoso, New Mexico, early Thursday morning, killing all four people aboard and triggering a wildfire in a heavily forested area, authorities said.

The aircraft, operated by Trans Aero MedEvac, was conducting a medical transit flight without patients on board when it went down in the Capitan Mountains within the Lincoln National Forest.

Aircraft Lost Contact Before Dawn

According to officials, the aircraft was a Beechcraft King Air 90 twin-propeller plane.

The flight departed from Roswell Air Center and was scheduled to land at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport.

Air traffic controllers reportedly lost radar and communication contact with the aircraft at approximately 4:00 a.m. local time.

Search and rescue crews later located the wreckage between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. in steep, rocky terrain that was difficult to access.

Authorities said emergency responders were forced to hike the final half-mile on foot because vehicles could not safely reach the crash site.

Crash Ignites Active Wildfire

The impact sparked a fast-moving wildfire in the surrounding forest area, creating additional dangers for rescue and recovery teams.

Officials estimated the fire had expanded to roughly 35 acres by Thursday afternoon.

The region had already been placed under a red flag warning by the National Weather Service because of dry conditions, low humidity, and wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph.

Firefighters from the United States Forest Service and local emergency agencies are continuing efforts to contain the blaze.

Federal Investigation Underway

The exact cause of the crash remains unknown.

The National Transportation Safety Board has taken charge of the investigation, while the Federal Aviation Administration is assisting with flight tracking and technical analysis.

The New Mexico State Police and regional search-and-rescue teams are coordinating recovery and site security operations.

Investigators said wildfire conditions have complicated access to the crash zone, delaying portions of the evidence recovery process until the area is deemed safe.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the four victims pending notification of their families.