Six people, including a child, were killed when a small passenger aircraft crashed in Sauk County, Wisconsin, in the US Midwest, authorities said.
The crash occurred near the city of Reedsburg on Tuesday evening, according to a statement issued by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday. The office received reports of the incident at around 9:30pm local time.
Deputies and emergency responders rushed to the scene and located the wreckage in a densely wooded area. All six people on board—five adults and one child—were found dead, the sheriff’s office said.
The aircraft was travelling from Kenosha, Wisconsin, towards Menomonie. Authorities have withheld the victims’ identities pending further investigation.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a Piper PA-46.
According to preliminary information from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot reported icing while flying at an altitude of 24,000 feet and requested permission to descend.
Air traffic control approved the request, after which the aircraft turned right and began descending. The descent rate subsequently increased before contact with the aircraft and its tracking data were lost, the NTSB said.
Investigators are travelling to the crash site to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident. The agency said it expects to issue a preliminary report within 30 days.
Authorities are examining what was communicated between the pilot and air traffic control and whether weather conditions in the area contributed to the crash. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
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