Four of the six people who died when their private plane crashed during a flight from Arizona to Las Vegas on Monday have been identified as Instagram stars, models and nightclub promoters.

Models Mariah Coogan, 23, and Helena Lagos, 22, nightlife promoter Anand 'Happy' Patel, 26, and nightclub host and aspiring pilot James Pedroza, 28, were all on board the Piper PA-24 Comanche when it crashed into a golf course moments after taking off at around 9pm.

They spent the weekend at the Phoenix Lights Festival and were on their way back to Las Vegas.

Before they took off from Scottsdale Airport, Coogan shared videos from the plane on her Instagram story.

She excitedly filmed herself in her seat and spun the camera round to show Patel who she affectionately called by his nickname Happy.

Authorities will not confirm who was flying the plane but they confirmed that it was not Pedroza, who owned it and who was in the process of obtaining his license.

Neither the FAA nor the National Transportation Safety Board will comment on their ongoing investigations into the crash.

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Model Mariah Coogan, 23, was one of six people killed when their plane went down over a golf course in Arizona on Monday night 15 minutes after take off. She filmed this video from the plane beforehand and put it on her Instagram story, tagging some of the fellow passengers and the unlicensed 'pilot' James Pedroza. The FAA has since confirmed he was not flying the aircraft but will not say who was

It was first reported that the 1970 aircraft caught fire in the air. Now, investigators are looking into whether it was equipped to carry six people and if too many were onboard.

The plane belonged to Pedroza who boasted about purchasing it on Instagram on February 7.

Someone else flew it from Las Vegas to Scottsdale to pick them up on the night of their deaths.

That flight landed at Scottsdale Airport at 8.18pm. They were back up in the air 25 minutes later.

Pedroza only began learning how to fly in October after investing in a different plane with a friend.

Pedroza, a VIP host at The Mirage nightclub in Las Vegas, and 22-year-old Lagos, a model, were dating, according to a friend who spoke to Fox News.

His interest in aviation began in July when he invested in a different, smaller plane with a friend who is an experienced pilot.

In October, he started learning how to fly himself. In one video he shared on Instagram, he wrote: 'Can't wait to get my wings'.

He purchased the plane in February and completed his first 'cross country' flight in March with a friend for a snowboarding trip.

Coogan is shown (left) on the plane. She also filmed nightclub and festival promoter Anand Patel, 26, (right), one of the other victims

Investigators are looking into whether there were too many people on board the six-seater aircraft (shown above in Coogan's Instagram story) before they took off. They are also investigating whether it caught fire in the air and if it was safe to fly the 1970 aircraft

Coogan tagged James Pedroza as the pilot on her Instagram story but he was not flying the plane

Patel also claimed on Snapchat to have taken the plane's controls at one point. It is not clear yet who was flying the plane when it went down

On Wednesday, the FAA told DailyMail.com that he was not flying the plane when it went down.

'This person has a medical certificate but no pilot certificate. He was not the pilot of the aircraft,' a spokesman said.

They will not release the pilot's identity.

Pedroza completed his medical examination and was given a third class categorization.

How he knew the others remains unclear but all of the group shared an interest in partying and social media.

For days before Monday's tragedy, they partied together at the Phoenix festival along with a bigger group.

James Pedroza, 28, is pictured on the plane after purchasing it in February. He only began learning how to fly in October. He was not flying it when it went down

Pedroza (above standing on the wing of the plane) is pictured on March 7 with a friend, who is not thought to have been on the aircraft when it crashed, after completing his 'first cross country' flight

The FAA's website says Pedroza passed his medical exam in February but does not give any details of any license or certificate he held. The FAA won't say who was in control at the time of the crash

Coogan was a model and horse trainer from Santa Fe, California.

She had amassed a large social media following of 27,000 after quitting high school in 2012 to pursue a modelling career.

A former teacher told The Republic: 'She was eager for adventure, and I always found her easy to speak with.'

Another friend said of the young model: 'She's just a free spirit, fun loving person.

'She just didn't have a negative bone in her body, just the most positive girl I've ever met.'

The young woman's mother told her local newspaper in California, The Santa Rosa Press Democrat: 'She’s just a bright light.

'She’s been such a great child to have. I mean, she’s my first, and her middle name is Sunshine, and she has proven that name because any room she walks into, she smiles and brightens the whole room.

'I’m going to miss her so much.'

Mariah Coogan, 23, was a model and part-time horse trainer from Santa Rosa, California. Anand Patel, 26, was a nightclub and festival entrepreneur from Oklahoma whose nickname was 'happy'

James Pedroza, 28, was reportedly the pilot. He was dating 22-year-old model Helena Lagos, (right) who also died in the crash

Patel's twin brother Akash described him as a nightlife entrepreneur who flew across the country making friends and hosting parties.

'He was taken away from us doing what he loved to do, what he liked to do the most, be with his friends and have a good time,' Akash told Fox 10 in Arizona.

Two others who were on the plane when it went down have not yet been identified.

Patel, who listed his home state as Oklahoma on social media, appeared to live a lavish lifestyle in which private jets were the norm.

The plane took off at 8.45pm on Monday but got into trouble not long afterwards.

Coogan had an Instagram following of 27,000. She is pictured with Kendall Jenner at a basketball game

As well as model, the 23-year-old worked as a part-time horse trainer in Santa Fe, California

It crashed on the TPC Scottsdale Champions Course at 9pm. The aircraft was built in 1970.

The FAA is still investigating whether it was equipped to carry as many people as were onboard on Monday night.

The plane wreckage burst into a ball of flames during the crash and remained alight on the golf course as emergency services rushed to the scene.

Police initially said that it caught fire after take-off but it is not clear yet what caused it to.

Naples News reports that investigators are looking into whether there were too many people on board when it went down.



This is the fiery aftermath of the crash on the TPC Scottsdale golf course on Monday night