Summary:
A patient, a family member and three nurses were killed when an air ambulance crashed and exploded in west Texas, officials said.

Full article:
(CNN) -- Five people died when an air ambulance crashed in west Texas shortly after midnight Sunday, authorities said. A patient, the patient's family member, two nurses and the pilot died when the Cessna 421 plane crashed and exploded around 12:18 a.m. CT (1:18 a.m. ET), the Texas Department of Public Safety said. The plane crashed just one mile south of Alpine, Texas, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory said. It had taken off from Alpine and was headed for Midland, Texas, she said. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The plane was registered to the O'Hara Flying Service out of Amarillo, the FAA said. The Texas Department of Public Safety said victims of the crash were: Ted Caffarel, 58, of Beaumont, Texas; Sharon Falkner, 49, of Fort Davis, Texas; Tracy Chambers, 42, of Alpine, Texas; Richard Folger, 78, of Midland, Texas; and Mary Folger, 59, of Midland, Texas. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.