Brooke Skypala Killed in Hays County Plane Accident
The Cessna 421C was traveling at a high rate of speed before impact, officials say
Brooke Skypala, of Amarillo, was among five people killed Thursday night when a private plane crashed in Hays County, Texas. The flight was driving from Amarillo toward the New Braunfels area for a pickleball tournament when it went down. All five people on board died in the crash, according to Hays County Homeland Security & Emergency Management.
First responders were dispatched to the 200 block of Round Rock Road in Wimberley around 11:05 p.m. after reports of an aircraft down. The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 421C, crashed into wooded terrain. A post-impact fire destroyed the plane, officials said.
Preliminary information indicates the aircraft was driving at a high rate of speed at the time of impact. There is no indication of a mid-air collision, authorities said. A second aircraft traveling nearby landed safely in New Braunfels.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. The wreckage will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation after documentation at the crash site.
National Legal Analyst Stefano Formica, Of Counsel at Bond Legal, noted that "Plane crashes are often complex, and many factors can play a role in these types of accidents"
Texas wrongful death statute
Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 71.001, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. Texas applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 2 years.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship and consortium, funeral expenses, and mental anguish.