Six Killed in Devastating Plane Crash in the United States

photo: collected

A small airplane crashed in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, leaving six people dead, including a child, according to local authorities.

The accident occurred around 9:31 PM local time on Tuesday (October 13) in the town of Dellona, located approximately 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) northwest of Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, Anadolu reports.

Authorities stated that the aircraft went down in a wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park in the town of Dellona, west of Wisconsin Dells.

Rainy and stormy weather conditions prevailed in the area at the time.

On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that while cruising at an altitude of 24,000 feet, the pilot informed air traffic control of icing on the aircraft's wings and requested permission to descend.

Air traffic control granted the descent clearance, after which the plane banked to the right and began losing altitude.

At one point, the rate of that turn escalated rapidly until communication and tracking data with the aircraft were ultimately lost.

A statement from the Sauk County Sheriff's Office confirmed that five adults and one child were killed in the crash. However, the identities of the victims were not immediately released.

Police noted that the fixed-wing Piper PA-46 aircraft had been in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower prior to the accident.

The sheriff's office and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that investigators are examining those communications and whether weather played a role in the crash.

No structural damage on the ground or injuries to anyone else were reported.

According to the statement, officials from the FAA and the NTSB will assist local authorities in investigating the accident.