Cassville, Wis. - Two student aviators crashed a small plane into a tree and cabins at a southwestern Wisconsin resort on Wednesday, causing a fire and leaving both severely burned, authorities said.

The Grant County sheriff's office said the crash happened just before 4 p.m. at the Eagle's Roost Resort in Cassville, a village on the Iowa border. The resulting fire destroyed a cabin and caused extensive damage to another.

Both of those on board, students at the nearby University of Dubuque, in Iowa, were taken to an area hospital with severe burns and then flown to University Hospital in Madison, the sheriff's office said.

A University Hospital spokeswoman said the two were in critical condition Wednesday night.

The university identified the students on its Web site as juniors Cory Alsip of Glendale Heights, Ill., and Grant Vogt of Dubuque.

The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating the accident.