by Elizabeth RuizAirport officials at a northern New Mexico ski resort say a San Antonio pilot was warned about strong, gusty winds before he took off.
The airport manager told the Associated Press that they warned 33-year-old John Phillip Verhalen III about 55-mile-per hour wind gusts Sunday afternoon and there were signs on the front desk, but Verhalen said he was confident in his abilities to fly the aircraft in those conditions
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The plane went down shortly after takeoff in the community of Angel Fire, New Mexico
Verhalen and his three passengers were killed.
They're identified as Verhalen's sister, 41-year-old Sara Verhalen, her 13-year-old daughter, Chloe Marie Jameson from the Dallas area and Verhalen's girlfriend, 26-year-old Jennifer Woodward, whose family lives in Schertz.
The FAA says the plane was owned by a company in Scottsville, Texas, which is about 150 miles east of Dallas.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
