A small plane crash in Wimberley, Texas, about 40 miles southwest of Austin, killed all five people on board late Thursday night. According to Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, emergency crews responded to the downed aircraft around 11:05 p.m., with preliminary information indicating the Cessna 421C was traveling at a high rate of speed when it crashed.
Key Takeaways
Five people were killed when a small plane crashed late Thursday in Wimberley, Texas, about 40 miles southwest of Austin. Emergency crews responded to the crash around 11:05 p.m., and investigations are ongoing.
- Five fatalities confirmed in Cessna 421C crash near Austin
- Plane was traveling at high speed when it crashed with no indication of mid-air collision
- Second aircraft landed safely after observing erratic movement from the troubled plane
- Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigating the cause
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have been notified and will investigate the cause. There is no indication of a mid-air collision, as reported by multiple outlets. A second aircraft in the area landed safely near San Antonio after observing erratic movement from the troubled plane, which emitted a distress signal before crashing.
According to Air Traffic Control audio cited by CBS News, one pilot mentioned not hearing anything from the Cessna's pilot, while a controller noted the plane's track had disappeared. The weather in the New Braunfels area was mostly cloudy shortly before the crash but turned into a thunderstorm two hours later.
Wimberley, with a population of about 3,000, is known as a popular tourist and hiking destination in the Texas Hill Country next to the Blanco River. Fire and EMS crews remained on scene throughout the night and early Friday morning. The identities of those on board have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
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