The crash involved a Cessna 421C and occurred in Wimberley, Texas, on Thursday, April 30
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Credit: getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Five victims of a Texas plane crash have been identified as members of the Amarillo Pickleball Club
- The Cessna 421C went down near Wimberley while en route to a tournament, killing all five people on board
- Authorities say the crash remains under investigation, with the FAA and NTSB leading the inquiry
The victims of a fatal plane crash in Texas have been identified as five members of a local pickleball community, according to a statement from the Amarillo Pickleball Club.
The club said the victims of the private aircraft crash were Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, Glen Appling and Hayden Dillard, who were traveling to a tournament.
The organization described the deceased as part of its “pickleball family” and asked the community to keep their loved ones in their thoughts, while also offering ways to support the victims’ families in the days ahead.
The crash occurred on Thursday, April 30, in the Wimberley area, according to a news release shared by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra. Emergency responders were dispatched at approximately 11:05 p.m. local time after reports of a downed aircraft.
Authorities later confirmed that the aircraft, identified as a Cessna 421C, had five people on board and that all occupants died in the crash.
Fire and EMS crews remained at the scene through the early morning hours, officials said.
Preliminary findings indicated the aircraft was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of impact, according to the release. There was no indication of a mid-air collision, and a second aircraft traveling nearby landed safely in New Braunfels.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash, according to Becerra’s office.
Sgt. Billy Ray with the Texas Department of Public Safety told reporters on Friday, May 1, that the pilot and four passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, as previously reported by PEOPLE.
“The identities of those involved are also being withheld pending next of kin notifications,” Ray said at the time, adding that the incident remains an active and ongoing investigation.
The plane had departed from Amarillo, Texas, roughly two hours before the crash and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport, according to flight data cited by The Associated Press.
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A nearby resident heard a loud buzzing noise at the time of the crash, she told NBC affiliate WOIA.
“It shook when it landed,” she said. “It was like something I never heard or felt.”
PEOPLE reached out to the FAA on May 1, but did not immediately hear back.
