Arabic version: الإبلاغ عن تشويش عسكري على نظام تحديد المواقع قبل تحطم طائرة إجلاء طبي في نيو مكسيكو

According to ABC News, federal investigators confirmed that military jamming disrupted the GPS system of a medical transport plane before it crashed into a New Mexico mountainside in May, killing all four people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report described GPS problems encountered by the crew during a military jamming operation in the area.

The Trans Aero MedEvac aircraft was travelling from Roswell Air Center to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport when it reported losing GPS. Air traffic control provided headings to help line up the aircraft for an approach using the airport’s instrument landing system. A controller contacted the military, which temporarily shut down its jammers.

Shortly before the crash, the pilots told controllers they had the airport in sight and intended to land visually. Controllers then authorised the military to resume jamming. The NTSB said the aircraft descended to 9,400 feet before climbing several hundred feet, then struck a mountainside at 9,950 feet. The victims were identified as pilots Keelan Clark and Ali Kawsara, and flight nurses Jamie Novick and Sarah Clark.

The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a Notice to Airmen warning pilots about the jamming operation, and three other aircraft reported GPS problems at about the same time. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said it was unclear whether the crew knew of the operation before departure and called military GPS interference a longstanding concern.

Retired airline pilot John Cox said loss of GPS should not by itself lead to the loss of an aircraft, while aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said pilots may need to rely on other navigation systems when GPS is unavailable. Investigators will not determine the crash’s cause until their final report is completed next year.