Pilot Identified as First Victim in Midwest Plane Crash That Killed Six

The pilot of the small aircraft that crashed in rural Wisconsin, killing six people, has been identified.

Ronald Riek, 63, was at the controls of a single-engine Piper PA-46 on Tuesday night when the plane suddenly went down in a wooded area near a residential neighborhood in Dellona at about 9:30 p.m., according to Daniel Johnson, chairman of the Menomonie Airport Commission.

Riek, described as a longtime local pilot, died at the scene along with four other adults and a child, whose identities had not been released. Johnson shared the details during a meeting on Wednesday.

Disturbing doorbell-camera footage obtained by News 3 Now recorded what appeared to be sounds coming from the aircraft as it fell from the sky.

“It’s a sound that you won’t get out of your head,” a local woman told the station.

Johnson remembered Riek as “simply a good man” and “a highly experienced pilot.”

The visibly emotional chairman led a moment of silence for the victims. He said he had known Riek for years and that the pilot’s death would be deeply felt by the community.

“He’s been an active, enthusiastic local pilot. He was a businessman from Woodville, who had a very active warehousing business that was attractive and successful,” Johnson said.

Johnson said Riek encountered a thunderstorm while flying back to Menomonie from Kenosha shortly before the fatal crash.

Holding back tears, Johnson said the aircraft had “a reputation of not doing well in thunderstorms.”

Investigators initially focused on whether severe weather contributed to the deadly Wisconsin plane crash.

The aircraft was flying at 24,000 feet when Riek “reported icing and requested to descend,” the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told Our News Outlet on Tuesday.

Aircraft icing occurs when supercooled water freezes upon contact with a plane’s cold exterior. The buildup can disrupt airflow over the wings.

The NTSB is leading the investigation, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration.

No people on the ground were injured, and the nearby homes escaped damage when the plane crashed.

Flightradar tracked the aircraft’s abrupt descent and crash after it departed Kenosha Regional Airport shortly before 9 p.m.

The aircraft ‘was reported to be in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower’ just moments before, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office stated. 

Several locals were already searching the area when officials arrived and said they saw a low-flying plane just before, WKOW reported.

A police scanner also picked up a chilling call from an officer at the scene.

‘I’ve got, uh, looks like, definitely an airplane seat of some sort with deceased in the front yard,’ the cop said, according to WISN 12. 

Riek founded Woodville Logistics, a warehouse and distribution company, in 1994, according to its website. 

He went on to expand his business to three locations, with six buildings and a 700,000sq ft warehousing center for dry and frozen goods, the site detailed. 

The page also detailed his love for flying, stating: ‘Along with working in the business, Ron is an experienced pilot and loves taking to the skies to meet both current and potential new customers. 

‘His love of flying has been passed down to his son Reuben, who recently obtained his pilot’s license.’ 

Along with Reuben, Riek leaves behind his wife, Lorri, and his daughter, Rebecca Riek. 

He had at least 1,500 hours of flying experience and carried an airline transport pilot rating on his license, according to FAA records, the Associated Press reported.  

Our News Outlet reached out to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office for comment.