WIMBERLEY, Texas (AP) \u2014 A small plane crashed among trees in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people aboard, officials said Friday.<\/p>\n
The crash happened Thursday night in Wimberley, a city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Austin, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said in a Facebook post.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration said the Cessna 421C crashed around 11:25 p.m. with a pilot and four passengers on board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just heard a loud crash. I felt everything vibrate,\u201d Stacey Rohr, who lives nearby, told KEYE-TV. \u201cEverything was up in flames. It was crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cecil Keith said he heard what sounded like an engine backfiring \u2014 \u201cpow, pow, pow\u201d \u2014 when the plane flew over his house moments before the crash.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething was definitely wrong,\u201d he told the TV station.<\/p>\n
The plane took off from Amarillo, Texas, about two hours earlier and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport, according to the flight history. Aerial photos posted online<\/a> by the Austin American-Statesman showed the aircraft destroyed in a wooded area.<\/p>\n Becerra said he would not release the names of the victims until family has been notified.<\/p>\n He said a second aircraft traveling in the area landed safely at the airport in New Braunfels, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio. <\/p>\n One pilot said he and the Cessna pilot were flying there together, according to Air Traffic Control audio.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t heard anything from him,\u201d the pilot says on the recording. <\/p>\n A controller responds: \u201cHe started to move erratically and now his track is disappeared from the scope. So we want to make sure everything\u2019s all right with him.\u201d <\/p>\n At least one pilot in the area confirmed the troubled plane\u2019s locator emergency device had emitted a distress signal. The controller called 911. <\/p>\n