UNCERTAIN, Texas -- Five people died Friday night when the small plane they were riding in crashed as it was taking off from a private airstrip near the Louisiana border in East Texas.
Department of Public Safety Spokesman David Wells said the Cessna 208 apparently hit a tree just after takeoff at about 10:10 p.m..
The craft then crashed and burst into flames.
Wells said all five people aboard were killed. Local authorities believed the five people were heading to Florida for a fishing trip.
Wells identified one of the victims as east Texas oilman Sam Vaughn III of Marshall, Texas, who was president of Winchester Oil Company. a small exploration company in East Texas.
The other victims were identified by authorities as pilot Stephen Engelbrecht of Carnack, Texas, Johnny Johnson, 29, Chase Staggers, 29, and David Perkins, 28, all of Marshall.
Wells said the Federal Aviation Administration sent agents to the crash site to begin an investigation into the cause of the wreck.
Witnesses said they saw the airplane become airborn after taking off at the strip in Harrison County. The plane, however, veered to the left, lost altitude, struck a pine tree and then crashed and burned.
