Medical Plane Crash on Navajo Nation Land May Have Been Caused By Mechanical Issue

Angelley Hightower, PLLC, a nationally recognized aviation law firm with an office in Santa Fe, has launched an investigation into the tragic crash of a medical transport plane that claimed four lives near the New Mexico–Arizona border on August 5, 2025.

The Beechcraft 300 aircraft, operated by Albuquerque-based CSI Aviation, went down while attempting to land at Chinle Municipal Airport in northern Arizona on the Navajo Nation. The flight originated in Albuquerque and was en route to pick up a patient from the Indian Health Service hospital in Chinle. All four occupants of the aircraft, two flight crew and two medical personnel, were killed in the crash.

“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims. These were professionals dedicated to saving lives, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude,” said William Angelley, aviation attorney in Santa Fe and former U.S. Navy pilot. “The NTSB has just started its investigation, so it’s too soon to know what caused the crash, but the King Air 300, while generally reliable, has some known reported issues. For example, the engines don’t perform well in hot temperatures. Another thing is that the bearings on the outboard flaps can wear down over time, causing control issues. The NTSB will look at these kinds of things, as well as weather, aircraft maintenance, and flight crew performance.”

Angelley states that weather reporting from a nearby station indicated that the temperature at the time of the crash was around 89 degrees and the winds were out of the West between 14 and 17 knots, gusting to 28. The plane was lining up to land to the South on Runway 18, so the winds would have been coming from the right-hand side of the plane. Angelley says that the flight crew was likely experienced, so the winds shouldn’t have been much of a factor. The temperature might be and will have to be analyzed against engine performance. Another real possibility is some sort of maintenance issue. “The aircraft’s airframe, engine and propellor logbooks will be examined in detail to see what maintenance was done, when it was done and by whom.”

In the meantime, William Angelley will be closely monitoring the NTSB investigation and will continue to do work on his own to try and find the cause of this crash. “We don’t know much yet but need to get to the bottom of this accident for the families of the victims and for the general safety of medical transport aviation.