3 killed in New Mexico plane crash were students

Officials at a southwestern New Mexico charter school say three students were among the four killed in a plane crash Friday near Silver City.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reported (bit.ly/1jkDLed) Saturday that Aldo Leopold Charter School confirmed that the students were on board the single-engine plane that went down about a mile northeast of Whiskey Creek Airport before bursting into flames.

Authorities say the fourth fatality was the plane’s pilot.

They say the plane belonged to Albuquerque psychiatrist Peter Hochla.

Neither the school nor police publicly identified any of the four victims.

Aldo Leopold is smaller school with this year’s graduating class consisting of only 16 students.

The Silver City Daily Press (http://bit.ly/1jSb26r) reports the flight was not sponsored by the school.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.