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US Navy confirms pilot killed in crash in New Mexico

WASHINGTON, June 24 (KUNA) -- A US Navy pilot was killed when his aircraft crashed at an Air force base in New Mexico, the Navy confirmed Sunday.
According to a Facebook post by Holloman Air Force Base's 49th Wing, the US Navy confirmed Lieutenant Christopher Carey Short was flying his A-29 Super Tucano aircraft over the Red Rio Bombing Range when a "mishap" occurred on Friday.
"There's no way to describe the shock of this loss and the sadness we feel for his family," Air Force Colonel Houston Cantwell, commander of Holloman's 49th Wing, said in a statement Sunday. "He did pioneering work in aviation that will help shape American air power for years to come. We're thankful to have known him and grateful for his devotion to duty." Short was participating in a training flight "as a part of the Air Force's Light Attack Experiment" when the crash occurred. Another crew member, whose identity has been released, suffered minor injuries and was airlifted to a local hospital. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Red Rio Bombing Range, part of the White Sands Missile Range, is just 65 miles north of Holloman Air Force Base. (end) hy.bs