By KRWG News
Las Cruces – The Las Cruces Fire Department responded to a single engine plane crash near the Las Cruces International Airport.
Just after 3pm Sunday, 9-1-1 had been called to provide emergency medical services to three persons that were involved in a plane crash. The pilot and two passengers walked several hundred feet to the airport terminal from the crash site, located just southwest of the airport.
The pilot of this late model Cessna, sustained trauma to his head and had to be flown out to a nearby trauma hospital by Southwest Medi-Vac. The other two passengers received medical treatment from Las Cruces Fire Department's Engine 1 and Engine 2 before being transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response (AMR).
According to sources, the aircraft was unable to maintain the speed necessary to sustain altitude shortly after leaving runway 26. The experienced pilot was able to turn the aircraft around and attempt to make an emergency landing in an empty lot before crashing into a fence and a sand burm in the desert. The pilot was reported as the general manager of Adventure Aviation. He was taking family members for a sight seeing trip when the crash occurred.
Firefighters encountered and contained a small fuel spill coming from the plane. Also responding was New Mexico State Police Department, AMR supervisor, a representative from DOT and the airport manager.
The plane sustained heavy damage from the crash.