The pilot of the small plane that crashed in rural Wisconsin, killing six people, has been identified.
Ronald Riek, 63, was piloting a single-engine Piper PA-46 on Tuesday when the aircraft plunged into 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 “long-time local pilot,” was pronounced dead at the scene along with four other adults and a child. The five other victims had not been identified when Johnson spoke at a meeting on Wednesday.
Harrowing doorbell-camera footage obtained by News 3 Now recorded what appeared to be sounds 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.”
Visibly emotional, Johnson held a moment of silence for the victims and said Riek, whom he had known for years, would be deeply missed.
“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.
Ronald Riek, 63, was piloting a single-engine Piper PA-46 on Tuesday when it plunged into a wooded area, killing him and five other people aboard
The aircraft was at 24,000 feet when Riek “reported icing and requested to descend,” the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told the Daily Mail on Tuesday
Doorbell-camera footage recorded what appeared to be sounds coming from the aircraft as it fell from the sky
Johnson said Riek “encountered a thunderstorm” while returning to Menomonie from Kenosha shortly before the crash.
Holding back tears, Johnson said the aircraft Riek was flying “has a reputation of not doing well in thunderstorms.”
Investigators initially said they were examining whether weather conditions contributed to the fatal crash.
The plane was flying at 24,000 feet when Riek “reported icing and requested to descend,” the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told the Daily Mail on Tuesday.
Icing develops when supercooled water freezes upon contact with an aircraft’s cold exterior, potentially disrupting airflow over the wings.
The NTSB is leading the investigation with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
No one on the ground was hurt, and the nearby homes were not damaged when the aircraft crashed.
Flightradar tracked the aircraft’s abrupt descent and crash after it departed Kenosha Regional Airport shortly before 9 p.m.
Flightradar tracked the aircraft’s abrupt crash after it departed Kenosha Regional Airport shortly before 9 p.m.
Several locals were already searching the area when officials arrived and said they saw a low-flying plane just before it crashed
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 aircraft was reported to be in contact with a nearby traffic control tower just moments before, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office stated
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.
The Daily Mail reached out to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office for comment.