Plane crashes into Wis. resort cabins; 2 injured

Associated Press

Last update: September 4, 2008 - 5:48 AM

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CASSVILLE, Wis. - A light plane carrying two student aviators from the University of Dubuque crashed into a tree and cabins at a resort in southwestern Wisconsin and burst into flames Wednesday, leaving both students severely burned, authorities said.

The Grant County sheriff's office said the accident happened just before 4 p.m. at the Eagle's Roost Resort in the village of Cassville. The resulting fire destroyed one cabin and extensively damaged another.

Both people on the plane were taken to an area hospital with severe burns and then flown to University Hospital in Madison, the sheriff's office said.

The University of Dubuque in nearby Dubuque, Iowa, posted a statement on its Web site that identified the student aviators as juniors Cory Alsip from Glendale Heights, Ill., and Grant Vogt of Dubuque.

They were reported in critical condition Wednesday night by a spokeswoman at University Hospital who declined to give her name.

The Web site statement from Jeffrey Bullock, the University of Dubuque president, said in part that, "We come together tonight as a University family, wrapping our arms around our two students and their families in this most difficult hour.

"It's our University of Dubuque tradition — what we do in times of joy and of sorrow. So wherever you are this evening, I thank you for your prayers for Cory, Grant, and their families."

The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating the accident.