6 dead including child, after small plane crashes near Wisconsin Dells

A small plane has crashed in the US state of Wisconsin, killing six people, including a child. The accident happened on Tuesday night (October 13) in the Delona area of the state. Local authorities said none of the five adults and one child aboard survived.

According to an Associated Press (AP) report, the plane was flying from Kenosha to Menomonie when it crashed. Emergency workers reached the scene after receiving word of the crash at around 9:30pm local time. The bodies of all six were later recovered from a wooded area.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said the identities of the victims were not immediately released. No one on the ground was injured, and no nearby structures were damaged, authorities said.

According to preliminary information from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Piper PA-46 aircraft was flying at about 24,000 feet when the pilot told air traffic control that ice was building up on the wings. He requested permission to descend. After receiving clearance, the plane began to descend.

The NTSB said that during the descent the plane turned to the right and kept dropping at an increasing speed. At one point, communication with the aircraft was lost and tracking data on its movements stopped. It then crashed. Investigators are examining whether ice on the wings caused the accident.

Authorities said rain and thunderstorms were affecting the area at the time. The plane’s flight path, the pilot’s conversation with air traffic control, weather conditions and the aircraft’s maintenance records are all part of the investigation. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the NTSB are working to determine the cause.

Authorities said the actual cause cannot be confirmed until the investigation is complete. Ice on the wings, adverse weather and a possible loss of control are among the factors being examined. The process of identifying the victims and notifying their families is also under way.