Albuquerque, United States: A small aircraft attempting an emergency landing at Los Altos Golf Course in Albuquerque crashed Friday morning, killing one person and leaving another in critical condition, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred shortly before 11:40 a.m. local time when the single‑engine aircraft went down on the golf course while attempting what officials described as an emergency landing. First responders from Albuquerque Fire Rescue and New Mexico State Police arrived on scene and found two occupants trapped inside the severely damaged plane.
Fire crews reported the aircraft was not engulfed in flames but sustained significant structural damage upon impact. Both occupants were extricated and transported by ambulance to the University of New Mexico Hospital. One patient was pronounced dead at the hospital, while the second remains in critical condition; no further medical updates have been released.
State police later identified the deceased as 63‑year‑old Deborah Rhinesmith of Wichita, Kansas. Officials have not yet publicly named the critically injured person.
Flight records and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data indicate the plane was registered in Wichita and had departed from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport earlier Friday morning on a flight bound for Arizona. The cause of the emergency landing attempt has not been determined.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA have both confirmed they are investigating the crash. Preliminary reports show the aircraft was a Columbia 400 model, a single‑engine airplane commonly used for private and training flights.
Local authorities are continuing their investigation. Anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed the plane before the crash has been asked to contact New Mexico State Police. Further updates will be issued as official findings are released.
