Police identify men killed in plane crash near Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES - Two men, one from Las Cruces and one from El Paso, were killed in a plane crash Thursday night near the Las Cruces International Airport, police confirmed Friday.

The men have been identified as 67-year-old David Glenn Hancock of El Paso and 77-year-old Morris Douglas Newton of Las Cruces, according to New Mexico State Police.

Around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, state police responded to a downed aircraft call in Doña Ana County, about four miles northeast of the Las Cruces International Airport.

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Officers located the crash site in a remote, mountainous area and reported a fixed-wing, single engine Cessna aircraft had crashed and caught fire. The cause of the crash was unknown.  

The two men were found at the scene deceased and were they only occupants.

The Federal Aviation Administration have been contacted and are expected to arrivie Friday to conduct an investigation into the cause and nature of the crash.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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