Photo: Sandi Smolker / iStock Editorial / Getty Images
A medical transport plane crashed on Tuesday (August 5) on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, killing four people. The Beechcraft King Air 300, operated by CSI Aviation, was en route from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to pick up a patient from the Indian Health Service hospital in Chinle when it crashed near the Chinle Municipal Airport. The crash occurred around 12:40 p.m., according to the Navajo Police Department.
The aircraft carried two pilots and two healthcare providers, all of whom died in the crash. No patients or additional passengers were on board at the time. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are conducting an investigation. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive at the scene to document and examine the wreckage before moving it to a secure facility for further evaluation, as stated by NTSB spokesperson Sarah Taylor Sulick.
CSI Aviation confirmed the deaths in a statement and expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. The company is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren expressed his sorrow over the loss, stating, "These were people who dedicated their lives to saving others, and their loss is felt deeply across the Navajo Nation."
The Chinle Municipal Airport, where the crash occurred, is one of several airports owned by the Navajo Nation, which spans across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Medical air transports are common in the region due to the limited advanced care facilities available on the reservation.