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LODD: 4 killed in NM medical flight crash

A paramedic, pilot, nurse and patient all died when the plane crashed and burst into flames on the way to Phoenix; the cause is under investigation

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In this Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014 photo, relatives of victims of a plane crash react after reaching the crash site a half-mile southwest of the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Las Cruces, N.M. Authorities say all four people aboard the medical flight that was headed to Phoenix were killed when the plane crashed in Las Cruces. (AP Photo/The Las Cruces Sun-News, Carlos Javier Sanchez)

The Associated Press

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico authorities say all four people aboard a medical flight were killed when the plane crashed in Las Cruces.

New Mexico State Police say the twin-engine aircraft had just left the Las Cruces airport and was headed to Phoenix at a low altitude before it crashed and burst into flames Wednesday evening.

State Police identified the crew members killed as 29-year-old pilot Freddy Martinez, 27-year-old flightparamedic Tauren Summers and 35-year-old flight nurse Monica Chavez, all from El Paso, Texas. The patient who was killed was identified as 59-year-old Fredrick Green of Las Cruces.

According to State Police, the plane belonged to Amigos Aviation and was contracted by Elite Medical Transport.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash’s cause.