May 14 (UPI) — A small medical transport plane crashed near Ruidoso, N.M., Thursday, killing all four people aboard.
The plane, a Beechcraft King Air 90, had flown from Roswell Air Center and was en route to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, a flight of less than 30 minutes. It crashed around 4 a.m. MDT, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
“All four individuals have been confirmed deceased at the scene,” Jason Burns, the manager of Lincoln County, said at a press conference.
The cause of the crash is unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration will investigate.
The plane was operated by Trans Aero MedEvac, which provides medical transportation in southeastern New Mexico and western Texas.
The company said in a statement that four crew members were on board.
FlightRadar24 said the crash was in a remote, wooded area. Fire officials, law enforcement and other agencies responded to a fire associated with the crash in the Capitan Mountain area, Burns said.
The fire is burning over less than 5 acres. The surrounding area is under a red flag warning, due to strong winds and low relative humidity. It means there’s an increased fire risk.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives,” Burns said.
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