Five Killed in Texas Hill Country Plane Crash Identified as Amarillo Pickleball Players

 Five people were killed Thursday night when a small twin-engine plane crashed into a wooded area along Round Rock Road near Wimberley in Hays County, Texas. The victims have been identified by the Amarillo Pickleball Club as Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, Glen Appling, and Hayden Dillard. All five were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said, in a devastating loss for both Central Texas and the Panhandle.

The aircraft, a Cessna 421C, went down around 11 p.m. in the 200 block of Round Rock Road, northwest of Wimberley in the Texas Hill Country, according to Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra and the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane had departed from Amarillo about two hours earlier and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport when it crashed among trees at a high rate of speed, scattering debris across dense brush.

The group was en route to a pickleball tournament near Austin, a trip that reflected their shared passion for the sport and close ties through the Amarillo Pickleball Club. The club confirmed their identities Friday, describing them as beloved members and friends. The tournament they were traveling to was canceled following news of the crash, with organizers planning a tribute.

Emergency response began shortly after the first 911 call came in at about 11:03 p.m. Thursday, according to the Hays County Sheriff's Office. Law enforcement, fire, and EMS units were dispatched and arrived around 11:17 p.m. to find the wreckage engulfed in flames in a wooded area that was difficult to access in darkness.

Nearby resident Stacey Rohr told local station KEYE-TV she heard the impact from her home. "I just heard a loud crash. I felt everything shake. Everything was engulfed in flames," she said, describing a fireball that lit the night sky. Crews worked through the early morning to secure the site, extinguish hot spots, and preserve evidence for investigators.

Officials said a second aircraft flying in the area at the time landed safely in New Braunfels shortly after the crash. The proximity of the two planes has drawn attention from investigators, though authorities have not suggested a connection. The crash site, about 40 miles southwest of Austin, remained secured Friday as federal teams arrived to begin documentation.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation into the cause. Preliminary information indicates the Cessna was traveling at a high rate of speed at impact, and the aircraft was destroyed by the crash and fire. Investigators will examine maintenance records, weather, pilot qualifications, air traffic communications, and flight data.

The loss has reverberated from the Hill Country to the Texas Panhandle, where friends, family, and fellow players are mourning five lives cut short on what should have been a weekend of competition and camaraderie. As the investigation continues, the Amarillo Pickleball Club and the Wimberley community are focusing on remembrance, supporting the victims' families, and honoring a group remembered for enthusiasm, friendship, and love of the game.