3 killed in central Texas plane crash

A small plane crashed in central Texas, killing a flight instructor and two Italian flight students, authorities said.

The three were on their way from Arlington to Abilene when the Piper single-engine plane crashed Thursday, Senior Trooper Sparky Dean of the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release.

The two people in the front seat were instructor Robert William Davey, 29, of DeSoto, and Luca Visani, of Cesena, Italy. Andrea Venturini, of Mantova, Italy, was in the back seat, Dean said. No ages were available for the two flight students.

Witnesses said the plane came apart before it hit the ground, Dean said.

The crash occurred about 1 1/2 miles south of Interstate 20 near Texas Highway 16, about nine miles from the airport in Ranger, the news release said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, Dean said.