Federal and local authorities are investigating a tragic plane crash in Sauk County, Wisconsin, that left six people dead, including five adults and one child. The fixed-wing aircraft went down in a densely wooded area on Tuesday night, October 13, prompting a massive emergency response.
According to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received multiple reports of a downed aircraft at approximately 9:31 p.m. First responders rushed to the scene near Park Lane in the Town of Dellona, north of Park Lane and west of Herwig Road. Emergency crews confirmed that the aircraft was completely destroyed, and all six occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
Flight Details and Final Communications
Investigators determined that the aircraft was a fixed-wing Piper PA-46 on a return flight from Kenosha to Menomonie, Wisconsin, when the tragedy occurred. Prior to losing contact, the pilot was in communication with a nearby air traffic control tower.
Preliminary information released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that the plane was cruising at 24,000 feet when the pilot reported encountering hazardous icing conditions. The pilot requested permission to descend, which air traffic control approved. Radar and communication data show that the aircraft subsequently entered a right descending turn that rapidly increased in rate until all tracking data and radio contact were lost.
Ongoing Investigation by FAA and NTSB
The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that no structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported on the ground. Local residents and emergency personnel assisted in securing the perimeter of the remote crash site.
The NTSB and the FAA have assumed leadership of the active investigation. Federal investigators are examining three primary areas: the pilot’s background and actions, the mechanical condition of the Piper aircraft, and the operating environment, which includes evaluating the severe weather and icing events reported in the region that evening.
Authorities have withheld the identities of the victims pending complete notification of next of kin by the Sauk County Coroner’s Office. Assisting agencies at the scene included the Lake Delton Police Department, Delton Fire Department, Dells/Delton EMS, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
