WIMBERLEY, TX. (THECOUNT) — Five members of the Amarillo Pickleball Club were killed Thursday night when their Cessna 421C crashed in a wooded area near Wimberley in the Texas Hill Country, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed Saturday. The victims were identified as pilot Justin Appling and passengers Hayden Dillard, Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, and Stacy Hedrick — all from Amarillo and all pronounced dead at the scene. They were on their way to a pickleball tournament in New Braunfels when the aircraft went down.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the Cessna 421C crashed at approximately 11:03 p.m. on April 30 in a wooded area near Round Rock Road — about 10 minutes northwest of Wimberley — and was destroyed in a post-impact fire. Texas DPS Sgt. Billy Ray confirmed all five aboard were pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary information from Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra indicates the aircraft was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of impact. Officials confirmed there is no indication of a mid-air collision — a second aircraft traveling in the vicinity landed safely in New Braunfels. Stormy weather was reported across the area Thursday night. The NTSB and FAA are jointly investigating. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
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The aircraft had departed from River Falls Airport in Amarillo and was bound for New Braunfels National Airport. The Cessna 421C is a twin-engine pressurized piston aircraft with a typical seating capacity of six. The plane was owned and piloted by Appling, known to his friends and fellow pickleball players by his nickname “Glen.” Appling and Dillard were business partners — co-owners of a manufactured home dealer in Amarillo, which announced it would be closed until Monday following news of their deaths.
The Amarillo Pickleball Club posted a tribute to the five victims on Facebook Saturday, writing: “Please keep their precious families in your thoughts and prayers. Although many were friends to players, the loss is most horrible to their close family.” Fellow players remembered each of the victims with deep affection. Skypala was described as a community-minded player who hosted a pickleball camp for dozens of children from the nonprofit Amarillo Children’s Home the previous summer. Hedrick was remembered as someone who loved to laugh, carried a positive outlook, and had a fierce game — her aggressive forehand earned her the nickname “Rippy,” given to her by Appling, that stuck across the entire club. Wilson, the youngest of the group, was an accomplished tennis player who in 2022 was named a UIL team tennis state champion while at Amarillo High School.
Neighbor Stacey Rohr, whose home sits adjacent to the crash site, told reporters she was preparing for bed when she heard unusual buzzing sounds, followed by an impact that shook her house like an earthquake. The resulting fire burned close enough to her home that she feared it would spread. “Just very sad about the whole thing and feeling very grateful that it wasn’t any closer because it was literally right here where it landed. There’s homes and stuff,” Rohr said. “So yeah, just grateful.”
Wimberley is a city in Hays County in the Texas Hill Country, situated approximately 40 miles southwest of Austin and 60 miles north of San Antonio along the Blanco River. With a population of approximately 3,000 as of the 2020 census, Wimberley is a popular weekend destination known for its natural swimming holes, art galleries, and scenic Hill Country terrain. Hays County, which has experienced rapid population growth as part of the Austin metropolitan area’s expansion, had a population of approximately 261,000 as of the 2020 census. The county seat is San Marcos.
New Braunfels, the intended destination of the flight, is a city in Comal County approximately 30 miles south of Austin along Interstate 35. New Braunfels National Airport is a general aviation facility serving the city and surrounding communities. Amarillo, where all five victims lived, is the largest city in the Texas Panhandle with a population of approximately 200,000, located approximately 360 miles north-northwest of Wimberley.
The NTSB is leading the investigation and said it is gathering flight tracking data, communications records, weather forecasts, and the pilot’s licensing history. No cause of the crash has been established. The FAA will post a preliminary incident report when available.
The approximate location of the crash site near Round Rock Road northwest of Wimberley, Texas, can be viewed on Google Maps (approximate).
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