This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N249CP
- History of Flight:
On May 14, 2026, at about 0012 local time, a Beechcraft C90 King Air, N249CP, registered to Angels Envy Aviation LLC out of Denison, Texas, and being operated by Trans Aero MedEvac, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain near Capitan, New Mexico. The two pilots and two medical crew were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air medical flight, which originated from Roswell International Air Center Airport (ROW/KROW), Roswell, New Mexico, at 2351, and was destined to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport (SRR/KSRR), Ruidoso, New Mexico.
According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed Roswell and entered a climbing left turn to an altitude of 12,000 ft. About 18 minutes into the flight, at 0009, the airplane entered a descending left hand turn from cruise altitude, which was likely an attempt to fly the ILS/LOC approach for runway 24 at KSRR. However, the airplane appears to have overshot the entry and was now descending towards the Captain Mountains range, which has peaks of 10,000 ft. The last ADS-B data point showed the airplane descending through 9,300 ft and heading towards said mountains (see figures).
- Pilot Information:
Unknown.
- Airplane Information:
The accident airplane, serial number LJ-841, was manufactured in 1979. It was an 9-seat, retractable gear airplane powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135A turboprop engines, serial numbers PCE-PZ0476 (left) and PCE-PZ0477 (right), each rated at 750 horsepower, driving two Hartzell 4-blade, all-metal, constant speed, full-feathering, reversible propellers. The propeller model numbers were HC-B3TN-3B. The serial numbers were BUA21590 (left) and BUA21597 (right).
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane impacted rugged mountainous terrain and started a huge fire that was dubbed "Seven Cabins Fire" by the US Forest Service.
- Airport Information:
According to FAA records, the following NOTAM was issued for the destination airport on 05/13/2026: "!SRR 05/009 SRR SVC AUTOMATED WX BCST SYSTEM U/S 2605132256-2606182359EST"
The airport field elevation was 6813.8 ft. The airport features an ILS/LOC and an RNAV (GPS) approaches for runway 24.
- Weather:
(1) METARs:
METAR KROW 140551Z AUTO 19007KT 10SM CLR 21/M01 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP096 T02061011 10344 20206 $
METAR KROW 140651Z AUTO 21006KT 10SM CLR 19/M01 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP093 T01891006 403610144 $
(2) Sun and Moon Data:
The Moon was -41 degrees under the horizon on an azimuth of 33° NNE. The moonrise occurred at 0413.
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1131 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1127 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 - Minor to moderate risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations through Saturday across the lower elevations of central and eastern New Mexico due to near-record heat. - Localized erratic wind gust to 50 mph or greater from isolated showers and storms, with little to no rainfall in eastern New Mexico on Thursday. - Moderate chance (30-50%) of critical fire weather conditions in northern and eastern New Mexico Thursday, with a high chance (60-80%) on Sunday due to strengthening winds. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Thursday night) Issued at 136 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 High-based showers and isolated storms developing over central and western NM this afternoon will move northward while increasing in coverage thru early evening. The 18Z KABQ RAOB showed DCAPE values near 1500 J/kg with an impressive inverted-V profile to 500mb and a PWAT of 0.41". Mid and upper level moisture will continue spreading into the area thru this evening as indicated by NAEFS PWATs rising to near +2 standard deviations above climo. Unfortunately, top-down moistening will be very difficult with a very dry low level airmass in place. 12 HREF max 3-hr QPF barely shows 0.10" in a few areas so the overall impact will be downburst wind gusts >50 mph. Temps again tonight will be well above normal with mid and high level clouds taking much of the night to dissipate over central and eastern NM. Thursday will be similar to today but with high-based showers and mostly dry storms focused across eastern NM. Central and western NM will trend drier with mostly sunny skies, slight westerly breezes, and hot temperatures. && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Tuesday) Issued at 136 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 The weak shortwave trough responsible for the more active weather today and Thursday will shift east off the Front Range Friday. A weak backdoor cold front moving southwest into northeast NM will increase low level moisture westward to the Sangre de Cristo Mts. A few more showers and storms are possible (20-40% chance) with gusty outflow winds and brief rain again. The rest of the area will remain hot and dry with lighter winds compared to prior days. A longwave upper level trough building south into the PacNW will allow southwest flow aloft to increase over NM Saturday. This will help to increase southwest winds areawide (gusts 20-30 mph) with even hotter temps and very low humidity. The longwave trough is shown ejecting a leading trough axis thru the central Rockies Sunday with 700-500mb winds of 25-35 kt and surface low pressure deepening to between 987mb and 992mb over southeast CO. The latest 12Z model H5 spread has increased with timing and depth issues present again. Model discrepancies persist into Monday as well. Either way, southwest to west winds will trend stronger with very low humidity and slightly cooler temps both days. LREF wind gust probabilities >40 mph are still only 10-30% both days while the latest NBM shows the highest probs on Sunday (20-40% chance). A pattern change toward more showers and storms may arrive across eastern NM Tuesday depending on how the H5 pattern evolves Sunday and Monday. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1127 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 Showers have mostly dissipated around the region, but gusty outflow boundaries are still out there and will continue to produce localized wind gusts up to 30 kts through around 09Z. Other than that, winds will be relatively light with VFR cigs. LLWS is likely through around 12Z in eastern NM, including at KROW. Breezy southwest to west winds prevail tomorrow afternoon at most terminals, with gusts of 15 to 25 kts commonplace. High based showers and a few storms will quickly move from west to east in eastern NM tomorrow afternoon between 18Z and 23Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 136 PM MDT Wed May 13 2026 Scattered showers and isolated dry storms across central and western NM today will move north-northeast around 15 mph into the high plains of eastern NM thru this evening. Erratic downburst wind gusts >50 mph are expected from the stronger activity along with several lightning strikes. Another round of gusty showers and dry storms will develop over eastern NM Thursday then move east into TX during the evening. While breezy west winds will coincide with subcritical humidity for a few hours over the high plains of eastern NM, confidence is not high enough to upgrade the Fire Weather Watch given 1-hr and 10-hr fuel moisture near average over parts of eastern NM, ERC values below the 75th percentile, and RFTIs in the 3 to 4 range. Central and western NM will trend much drier with breezy west winds and hot temperatures. A weak backdoor cold front will enter northeast NM Friday with just enough moisture and instability to develop a few storms east of the Sangre de Cristo Mts. The rest of the area will remain hot and dry with lighter winds compared to previous days. A fire growing pattern will return Saturday thru Monday as an upper level trough passes north of NM. Elevated to locally critical fire weather will begin Saturday and may peak Sunday with widespread critical to potentially extreme fire weather. The dry and windy pattern may linger into Monday depending on how the upper level trough evolves across the southwest U.S.
No comments:
Post a Comment