Civilian plane crash in New Mexico tied to military GPS blocking

On May 13, a civilian King Air plane crashed into a mountain near Ruidoso, New Mexico, after its pilots lost their GPS navigation due to a military exercise conducted by the US Air Force at White Sands Missile Range. The plane was en route to pick up a patient and deliver them to Albuquerque. Captain Keelan Clark and First Officer Ali Kawsara, both inexperienced pilots, had limited navigation options due to the GPS jamming, forcing them to revert to older, less reliable methods.

The accident marks the first time in US history that a civilian plane has crashed due to GPS interference. This incident is part of a growing trend of GPS disruptions across the world, including recent incidents involving civilian drones and temporary airspace closures by US agencies. The Federal Aviation Administration had warned about potential GPS interference in the area up to 400 miles away from White Sands Missile Range, but the pilots still lost their GPS and had to rely on less accurate navigation methods, ultimately leading to their crash.