Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Kills 5

Jenny Albano

Contributor

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A medical plane crashed on the night of August 5 and all 5 passengers, including a women and her young daughter, were killed in the accident.

Those deceased include 15 month-old Lilly Smith and her mother Tracy Smith, a 56 year-old pilot, a 44 year-old male nurse, and a 40 year-old paramedic. The names of the three staff members have not been released so authorities could contact next of kin.

The toddler was the patient, but it is not known what medical problem she had.

The twin-engine turbo prop left the Ruidoso Regional Airport about 10:40 p.m. Sunday on a flight to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. It crashed almost immediately in Devil's Canyon in the Lincoln National Forest, Olson said.

A search for the plane began very early Monday, and the plane was found at approximately 5:15 a.m. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The King Air plane was owned by Las Cruces-are Southwest Medivic. The company claims to have never had a plane crash since the business started in 1994.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Airlines, Cruises, Buses, and Other Mass Transit Accidents.