AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 14, 2026
Fatal Plane Crash Near Wisconsin Dells Leaves Six Dead
Six people, including one child, died in a small plane crash near Wisconsin Dells on Tuesday night, according to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department. The incident involved a six-seat, single-engine Piper PA-46 aircraft that crashed in a wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park in the Town of Dellona.
Flight Details and Crash Circumstances
Authorities reported that the plane was flying from Kenosha to Menomonie when it went down shortly before 10 p.m. on October 13, 2026. Rain was falling as a thunderstorm moved through the region at the time of the crash. The sheriff's department began receiving multiple reports of a downed aircraft around 9:30 p.m.
Victims and Damage Assessment
Emergency responders discovered all six occupants of the Piper PA-46 deceased at the scene—five adults and one child. Law enforcement confirmed that there was no damage to any structures and no injuries reported among people on the ground. At the time of publication, the names of those who died had not been released.
Weather Conditions and Investigative Efforts
Preliminary reports indicate that poor weather may have played a role in the crash. The aircraft was in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower before the accident, and investigators are reviewing those transmissions. Both the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the fatal plane crash.
Ongoing FAA and NTSB Investigation
The FAA, in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is conducting a thorough plane crash investigation into the incident. Officials are examining weather conditions, the aircraft's communication with air traffic controllers, and other possible contributing factors to the aviation accident.
Safety and Community Response
While the cause of the crash is still under investigation, the event has brought renewed attention to aviation safety and the risks associated with small plane travel during severe weather. Local authorities and federal agencies have assured the public that all available resources are being deployed to understand what led to the tragedy and to help prevent similar incidents.
Source: abcnews.com.
