Plane crash in northeast Arizona kills 4 medical personnel

Four medical personnel were killed when a small plane crashed while attempting to land at a municipal airport in northeastern Arizona, according to officials.

The crash involved a Beechcraft 300 and occurred around 12:35 p.m. local time on Tuesday at Chinle Municipal Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which initially reported that three people were on board.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said four non-local medical workers were killed when the aircraft crashed near the airport as they were on their way to pick up a patient.

“These were people who dedicated their lives to saving others, and their loss is felt deeply across the Navajo Nation,” Nygren said in a statement. “Our prayers are with the families of those on the plane as investigations continue.”

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Chinle is a small town situated within the Navajo Nation. The Beechcraft 300, commonly referred to as the King Air 300, is a twin-turboprop aircraft frequently used for air ambulance services and business travel.