Five members of an Amarillo pickleball club died after a small Cessna 421C plane crashed near Wimberley in Texas Hill Country on Thursday night. The aircraft was flying from Amarillo to New Braunfels when it went down about 40 miles southwest of Austin. All five people on board were confirmed dead.
VICTIMS IDENTIFIED
Authorities confirmed the victims as Justin Appling (pilot), Hayden Dillard, Brooke Skypala, Stacy Hedrick, and Seren Wilson.
Seren Wilson was a former Texas high school tennis state champion. Brooke Skypala was a trauma counselor who had recently begun accepting clients. Hayden Dillard and Justin Appling were business partners and longtime teammates, while Stacy Hedrick was known as a strong and energetic competitor in the pickleball community.
COMMUNITY REACTION
Fellow players described the group as close friends who traveled together to tournaments nationwide. Members of the Amarillo pickleball community said the loss has deeply affected the tight-knit sports network, with many remembering them as fun, supportive, and highly competitive teammates.
INVESTIGATION UPDATE
Federal aviation authorities are investigating the crash. Reports indicate a distress signal was transmitted before the aircraft went down. Weather conditions in the area included cloud cover, with thunderstorms developing later in the night.
