Ice on wings are blamed as investigators probe Wisconsin Dells plane crash that killed six, including a child
Ronald Riek, the first identified victim of the Wisconsin Dells crash, was the experienced pilot who radioed that ice was accumulating on his wings before the plane went down, killing all six on board.
Ronald Riek, a respected Wisconsin businessman and experienced pilot, was at the controls of his single-engine Piper PA-46 travelling from Kenosha to Menomonie on Tuesday night when he radioed that ice was accumulating on the wings at 24,000 feet and asked to be cleared lower. Air traffic control gave approval, but the aircraft then began tightening into a right turn before radar contact and all communications were lost, with the plane coming down in a wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park in the Town of Dellona at around 9:30pm. Five passengers, including a child, also died; none of the other victims have yet been named. The NTSB is leading the investigation and is expected to release a preliminary report within 30 days.
As the aircraft fell, recorded flight data indicated its airspeed climbed to nearly double its previous reading, reaching 340mph, while its descent rate hit 4,000 feet per minute.
Aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti said the crash 'has all the earmarks of an icing-related loss of control.'
