Military GPS Jamming Probed in Fatal New Mexico Medevac Crash Amid Rising Interference Incidents
A military GPS jamming exercise is drawing renewed attention after new reporting suggested it may have contributed to the May accident of a Beechcraft King Air in New Mexico that killed four people. The accident remains under investigation, and no official probable cause has been determined. According to the report, the twin-engine aircraft was flying from Roswell to Ruidoso when it encountered GPS interference during an electronic warfare exercise near White Sands Missile Range. The crew reportedly lost reliable satellite navigation while approaching mountainous terrain at night. Three other aircraft in the area also experienced GPS disruptions during the exercise, suggesting the interference extended beyond a single flight. The report said the loss of GPS left the medevac crew with limited navigation capability during a critical phase of flight. The aircraft subsequently struck a mountainside, killing both pilots and two medical crewmembers aboard. While investigators have linked the GPS outage to the sequence of events, officials have not concluded that military jamming caused the accident. The findings remain preliminary pending completion of the investigation. The accident has also renewed concern over the increasing frequency of GPS interference. Figures cited from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association show reported GPS disruption events in the continental U.S. climbed from four in 2020 to 50 in 2024, with another 40 incidents recorded in 2025.
