Albuquerque Fire Rescue shared this photo on social media that shows a plane crashed in the background. One person died and another was critically injured in the crash.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue
New Mexico authorities have confirmed that 63-year-old Deborah Rhinesmith of Kansas was the small-plane pilot who was killed Friday when a single-engine aircraft headed from Wichita crashed onto a golf course in Albuquerque.
The incident, which is being reported as an accident by the Federal Aviation Administration, happened around 11:37 a.m. after Rhinesmith attempted to make an emergency landing on Los Altos Golf Course, according to New Mexico State Police. Rhinesmith attempted the emergency landing after the aircraft experienced engine issues, the FAA report read.
Rhinesmith and a flight crew member were taken to a hospital where Rhinesmith was pronounced dead. The other plane occupant is still in the hospital, police confirmed.
In response to the crash, The National Transportation Safety Board said it has opened an investigation and sent two investigators to the scene to document the wreckage and collect perishable evidence, an NTSB spokesperson said.
A preliminary NTSB report is expected within 30 days of the crash and will be posted on the agency’s publication dashboard and on its @ntsb_newsroom account on X.
A final report, including the probable cause and any contributing factors, is expected in 12 to 24 months. Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to email witness@ntsb.gov
