Small plane crashes in wooded area near Wisconsin Dells (representative image)
Six people, including a child, were killed after a small plane crashed in a densely wooded area near Wisconsin Dells in the US state of Wisconsin, authorities said on Wednesday.The six-seat, single-engine Piper PA-46 was travelling from Kenosha to Menomonie when it crashed in the Town of Dellona shortly before 10 pm on Tuesday, according to the Sauk County Sheriff's Department, according to news agency Associated Press (AP).The sheriff's department received multiple reports of a downed aircraft at around 9.30 pm (local time).
Emergency personnel and deputies located the wreckage and found all six occupants dead at the scene.
Weather conditions under investigation
Rain was falling in the area as a thunderstorm moved through. Investigators are examining whether weather conditions played a role in the crash.The aircraft was reportedly in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower before the crash.Authorities are reviewing the transmissions to establish what was communicated before the plane went down, according to the sheriff's department, as cited by CBS News and ABC News.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash.The NTSB is leading the investigation, according to the FAA statement cited by ABC News.
No injuries reported on the ground
Authorities said there were no reports of damage to buildings or injuries to people on the ground.
The identities of the six victims had not been released as of Wednesday. The sheriff's department said the names would be made public at a later time, according to CBS News.The crash site was in a wooded area in the Town of Dellona, about 10 miles southwest of Wisconsin Dells.Reedsburg, another nearby town, is roughly 55 miles northwest of Madison, Wisconsin.Investigators are continuing to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.