A fatal air ambulance crash in New Mexico happened after the crew lost GPS navigation. The US military was doing a scheduled jamming exercise at the time. This is raising questions about if civilian aviation is ready for electronic warfare.

The National Transportation Safety Board found that the crew lost GPS minutes after taking off from Roswell, New Mexico. The military was doing a planned GPS-denial exercise at the time.

The crew took off from Roswell, New Mexico, for an air ambulance flight to Ruidoso, New Mexico. Before the flight, the Federal Aviation Administration warned that a military GPS jamming exercise could disrupt satellite navigation.

The pilots reported losing GPS capability and asked for help from air traffic controllers. Three other aircraft in the area also reported GPS outages.

Federal investigators are looking into the causes of recent close calls between airliners and other safety issues.

The crew reported the airport in sight and asked for a visual approach. After the military resumed the exercise, the aircraft went down towards the runway but hit the Capitan Mountains, killing everyone on board.

The crash comes as aviation authorities worldwide warn that GPS interference is a growing hazard. The FAA advises pilots to be ready to fly without GPS because intentional jamming is a concern.

The FAA says the hazards of GPS jamming and spoofing have increased rapidly in recent years. Interference can cause pilots to lose their way, misreport their position, and struggle to navigate safely.

Todd Humphreys, a University of Texas expert, says the crash raises questions about whether navigation technology in civilian aircraft has kept pace with evolving GPS jamming threats.

Humphreys says many FAA-certified cockpit GPS receivers use old technology that is more susceptible to jamming than newer systems.

Humphreys told Fox News that the iPhone a pilot carries is often a better GPS receiver than the one in the aircraft.

Military electronic warfare systems are designed to block satellite navigation in large areas. In the New Mexico exercise, the FAA warned of GPS disruptions hundreds of miles from White Sands Missile Range.

The military is working on new technologies, including lasers.

Humphreys argues that while newer GPS technology is more resilient, aviation certification has moved too slowly to keep pace with the evolving threat.

International aviation regulators have warned of increasing GPS jamming and spoofing incidents that can affect aircraft far beyond the immediate area.

Paul Deres of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association says the focus should be on pilot preparation and proficiency, given the wide range of avionics in the general aviation fleet.

Deres says technology can fail, and it does.

European regulators have updated guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers in response to growing GPS interference.

The FAA issues notices to pilots about planned GPS disruptions and has backup navigation systems to help aircraft navigate during satellite outages.

The FAA did not comment on the ongoing investigation but said it maintains backup navigation systems.

GPS interference is a growing challenge for commercial aviation in parts of Europe and the Middle East.

Humphreys says some people believe aviation has passed its peak safety point due to the rise of GPS jamming and spoofing.

But GPS interference remains relatively uncommon in US airspace outside of military testing.

In March 2025, commercial airliners received false collision alerts due to Secret Service and US Navy counter-drone testing.

The National Transportation Safety Board report describes a chain of events where the crew lost GPS, requested assistance, and later opted to continue visually before striking terrain.

As drones become more common, GPS jamming as a form of counter-drone operations will become more common.

Humphreys says nation-states are using GPS jamming to protect themselves from drones, and aviation needs to build better systems to deal with this.

A photograph shows the Trinity Site in White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

There is a need for a drone defense plan in the US.

Humphreys says the US has avoided the level of disruption seen in Europe but needs to modernize aviation technology before GPS interference becomes a routine challenge.

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Humphreys says the FAA needs to move faster to recognize that sticking to old rules is not serving safety anymore due to the changing environment.