Medical plane crash in New Mexico kills 4, FAA says

RUIDOSO, New Mexico – A small medical aircraft crashed near Ruidoso, New Mexico, on Thursday morning, killing all four people on board, officials reported.

What we don’t know:

The cause of the crash remains unknown, according to Lincoln County Manager Jason Burns.

What we know:

The flight departed from Roswell Air Center and was headed to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

A fire “associated” with the crash is estimated to be less than 5 acres, Burns said. The U.S. Forest Service is working with local agencies to suppress the fire.

Dig deeper:

Conditions across southern New Mexico are hot and dry, with a red flag high fire risk warning issued for the Ruidoso area because of low humidity and wind gusts that could reach 35 mph.