Tragedy as entire pickleball team is killed in plane crash while flying to tournament in Texas
A small plane carrying pickleball players crashed among trees in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people aboard, authorities said Friday.
The crash happened around 11pm on Thursday in Wimberley, a city about 40 miles southwest of Austin, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
‘The pilot and four passengers on board were pronounced deceased on scene,’ Sgt. Billy Ray told reporters.
Amarillo Pickleball Club in Amarillo, Texas, said they were members who were flying to a tournament. The victims were later named as Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, Glen Appling, and Hayden Dillard. ‘Please keep their precious families in your thoughts and prayers,’ the club said in a statement.
The plane, a Cessna 421C, took off from Amarillo and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport, according to the flight history. Aerial photos posted online by the Austin American-Statesman showed the aircraft destroyed in a wooded area.
A preliminary investigation revealed the aircraft ‘was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of impact’ and ‘there is no indication of a mid-air collision’.
