Six people, including one child, were killed Tuesday night when a single-engine Piper PA-46 aircraft crashed in a densely wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park in the Town of Dellona, Wisconsin. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Department confirmed all six occupants were found deceased at the scene.
NTSB confirms icing report prior to crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated the aircraft was flying at 24,000 feet when the pilot reported icing conditions and requested to descend. Air traffic control approved the descent, and the plane entered a right descending turn that increased in rate until communications and data tracking were lost. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the plane as a Piper PA-46, a six-seat, single-engine aircraft.
Search and recovery efforts
The Sauk County Dispatch Center received reports of a downed aircraft just after 9:30 p.m., and emergency personnel located the wreckage in a heavily wooded area. The flight originated in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and was en route to Menomonie, Wisconsin, when the crash occurred. Authorities reported no damage to structures or injuries to people on the ground.
Investigation underway
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the crash, with investigators traveling to the scene. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, according to the NTSB. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the deceased. Weather conditions at the time included rain and a passing thunderstorm, though officials have not confirmed whether weather played a role in the incident.