( 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 .
Air ambulance crashes a mile from Alpine , Texas . Patient , family member , nurses and pilot killed . Officials are investigating the crash .