Employee at Los Altos Golf Course believes pilot saved golfers’ lives before fatal crash

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Days after a plane crashed on an Albuquerque golf course, KRQE News 13 heard the shocked reaction from those on the course that day. One employee who was golfing nearby said it's a miracle it wasn't worse. Friday started out as a slow day at Los Altos Golf Course off Eubank and Copper, but hours into tee time, things quickly took a turn. "We were on the 12th green, and we were just finishing up right behind me here, and we were close to finishing up, and we just heard a loud, loud crash over our left shoulder, and we look over, and it was a plane," said Los Altos player assistant Phil Pineda. Pineda typically works out of the pro shop at Los Altos, but on Friday, he was out playing a round of golf when the small plane crashed on the course. "I ran over to my cellphone, and I called 911, even others in our group did too," said Pineda. In shock, he watched as people ran over to help. "The National Guard was across the way on 12, and they jumped, they happened to be on duty that week, and they jumped their fence and were running across, so they were the first responders," said Pineda. "They came from the North and clipped the top of the tree over here and hit the ground just in front of the number three tee box on the executive nine and ended up hitting the pine tree at the base over there where it came to rest," said CABQ Golf Superintendent Aaron Sunderlin. The two people on board were rushed to the hospital, where 63-year-old Deborah Rhinesmith died. The other person is still in critical condition. However, Pineda believes the pilot is a hero. "It looks as if the direction the plane came in over my left here he was gonna try to put it down on 10, and I believe he saw players on the golf course, and he avoided and veered to the right, and he would have made it had the wing not clipped the branch," said Pineda. He said that had it been any other day, it could have been even worse. "It would not have been good, the way the wreckage was strewn across the executive course, and where it happened, I believe there would have been numerous fatalities," said Pineda. New Mexico State Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.