(AP) -- ALPINE, Texas (AP) - All five people aboard a small aircraft died when the air ambulance crashed shortly after takeoff from a West Texas airport.
The crash happened about 12:15 a.m. Sunday about a mile east of Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport, about 200 miles southeast of El Paso, Texas. The Federal Aviation Administration says the twin-engine Cessna 421 had just taken off for Midland International Airport in Midland, Texas, when it went down in an open area.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says the pilot was apparently trying to make an emergency landing when the plane hit a rut, overturned and burned.
The FAA lists the aircraft as registered to O'Hara Flying Service II LP of Amarillo. Company owner Denny O'Hara declined to comment to The Associated Press.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
