Federal investigators have released new details the plane crash near Wimberley that killed five people, including a private pilot, late last month.
According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board, a Cessna 421C aircraft crashed April 30 around 11:03 p.m. in a wooded area near a private residence. The pilot and four passengers were killed.
The plane had departed from River Falls Airport in Amarillo around 9:10 p.m. and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport on a personal flight operating under instrument flight rules.
Investigators said the pilot reported issues with the aircraft’s instruments during the flight, including that the pitot heat was inoperative and the pitot tube had iced over. The pilot told air traffic controllers he was using backup gauges and requested to descend to a lower altitude to warm the aircraft.
Shortly after receiving clearance to descend, the pilot acknowledged a frequency change but did not make any further radio transmissions, according to the report.
Flight tracking data shows the plane made several erratic maneuvers, including a near 180-degree turn. The final signal was recorded about a minute before the crash.
A nearby homeowner reported hearing the crash and seeing flames, prompting a call to emergency responders. Authorities located the wreckage in a wooded area, where investigators found debris scattered over about 1.25 miles, consistent with an in‑flight breakup.
Preliminary findings also indicated the aircraft encountered freezing conditions at altitude in the minutes leading up to the crash, with temperatures between about minus 2 and minus 6 degrees Celsius (-21 Fahrenheit).
The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, and officials said a post-impact fire occurred on the ground.
The NTSB emphasized that the report is preliminary and that the investigation remains ongoing.