Plane carrying pickleball players broke apart midair, report says
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- A Cessna 421C carrying four pickleball players and the pilot crashed near Austin on April 30, resulting in five fatalities, including pilot Justin Appling.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported the pilot experienced issues with the plane’s anti-icing system and airspeed instrument, which had iced over during the flight.
- The pilot attempted to descend to 4,000 feet to warm the instruments, but the plane ultimately broke apart midair, scattering debris over a 1.25-mile area.
- Weather conditions included temperatures just below freezing at flight altitude, mostly cloudy skies, and a thunderstorm occurring two hours after the crash.
- A second plane traveling with the group landed safely, indicating the crash involved only the ill-fated Cessna 421C.