WIMBERLEY, TX, (April 30, 2026) – A fatal small plane crash near Wimberley in Hays County late Thursday night claimed the life of Brooke Skypala and four others, authorities said.
According to the Hays County Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Skypala was aboard a Cessna 421C that went down at approximately 11:05 p.m. in the 200 block of Round Rock Road. The aircraft had departed from Amarillo about two hours earlier and was en route to New Braunfels National Airport.
Officials said at least one pilot in the area reported that the aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter had issued a distress signal. Air traffic control subsequently contacted 911. Emergency responders arrived at the crash site and confirmed that all five occupants onboard were killed.
Authorities indicated that the group was traveling to attend a pickleball tournament. The circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
