Six People, Including a 13-Year-Old Boy, Die in Wisconsin Plane Crash After Pilot Reports Icy Conditions

A family trip ended in tragedy when a small plane crashed into a densely wooded area in Wisconsin, killing all six people on board, including a 13-year-old boy.

The crash occurred on the night of October 13, 2026, in the town of Dellona, near Mirror Lake State Park and Wisconsin Dells. The aircraft was returning from Kenosha to Menomonie when it went down during stormy weather.

According to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, emergency dispatchers received reports of a downed aircraft shortly after 9:30 p.m. Responders rushed to the scene and searched for survivors, but all six occupants were found dead.

Pilot Reported Ice on the Aircraft

Preliminary information from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the Piper PA-46 was flying at approximately 24,000 feet when the pilot reported icing conditions and requested permission to descend.

Air traffic control approved the request. The aircraft then entered a right-hand descending turn that increased in rate until communications and tracking data were lost.

Rain and thunderstorms were moving through the region at the time. Investigators are examining the aircraft’s final communications and the role weather conditions may have played in the crash. The precise cause has not yet been determined.

Grandmother, Two Daughters and Grandson Among the Victims

Authorities identified the six victims as pilot Ronald “Ron” Riek, 63; flight instructor Tyler Harvey, 36; Mary Brion, 67; her daughters Kayla Turpin, 39, and Amanda Haremza, 45; and her grandson, Rylan Haremza, 13.

Mary Brion, her two daughters and her grandson had reportedly been returning from a high school volleyball match in Salem, Wisconsin, where they had surprised family members.

Mary’s husband, David Brion, spoke about the devastating loss of his wife and family members. He recalled how much his wife loved watching her grandchildren play volleyball and how excited the family had been about the trip.

Rylan was remembered by his grandfather as a wonderful boy who enjoyed hunting, fishing, football and wrestling.

Riek, an experienced pilot and local business owner, was also well known in the area’s aviation community. Harvey worked as a certified flight instructor.

Investigation Continues

The NTSB is leading the investigation alongside the Federal Aviation Administration. Investigators examined the wreckage, including the cockpit, engines and propellers, and are expected to study the aircraft’s history and the weather conditions encountered during the flight.

No injuries or damage to buildings on the ground were reported.

For the victims’ loved ones, the tragedy has left a community grieving six lives lost in a single flight. Investigators continue working to establish exactly what happened in the moments before the aircraft went down.

Source: PEOPLE