A tragic small plane crash in Texas has claimed the lives of all five individuals on board. The incident occurred on Thursday night, April 30, in Wimberley, a city located approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Austin. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra confirmed the news in a Facebook post, stating that the aircraft went down among trees in the Texas Hill Country.
Details of the Crash
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Cessna 421C crashed around 11:25 p.m. with five people aboard. The FAA, in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board, will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash. The plane had departed from Amarillo, Texas, about two hours earlier and was en route to New Braunfels National Airport, according to flight history records.
Aftermath and Response
Aerial photographs released by the Austin American-Statesman showed the aircraft completely destroyed in a wooded area. Judge Becerra stated that the names of the victims would not be released until their families have been notified. He also mentioned that a second aircraft traveling in the same vicinity landed safely at the airport in New Braunfels, which is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio.
Air Traffic Control Audio
According to Air Traffic Control audio recordings, one pilot reported that he and the Cessna pilot were flying together. The pilot was heard saying, “I haven’t heard anything from him.” A controller responded, “He started to move erratically and now his track is disappeared from the scope. So we want to make sure everything’s all right with him.” At least one pilot in the area confirmed that the troubled plane’s locator emergency device had emitted a distress signal. The controller subsequently called 911.
Weather Conditions
The National Weather Service reported that it was mostly cloudy in the New Braunfels area shortly before the crash, but a thunderstorm occurred two hours later. The investigation will examine whether weather conditions played a role in the incident.
