Rylan Haremza And Amanda Haremza Death, Obituary – Amanda Haremza, 45, of Altoona, was among six people killed when a small plane crashed in Sauk County, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Her 13-year-old son, Rylan, also died in the crash. The loss has devastated their family and friends, and has been felt across the state’s aviation community.
Amanda, her mother Mary Brion, her sister Kayla Turpin, and Rylan were traveling home after going to a high school volleyball game to surprise Amanda’s granddaughters. Mary’s husband, David Brion, told reporters that his wife loved watching her children and grandchildren play. Because the granddaughters lived several hours away, the family was especially excited to make the trip.
Brion described Rylan as a wonderful boy who enjoyed hunting, fishing, football, and wrestling. His words offer a glimpse of the family’s closeness and the ordinary, meaningful moments that became precious in the wake of the tragedy. AP News
The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, was traveling from Kenosha to Menomonie when it went down in a wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park, close to Wisconsin Dells. The other people aboard were pilot and plane owner Ronald Riek, 36-year-old Tyler Harvey, and Mary Brion and Kayla Turpin. All six people on board died; no injuries on the ground were reported. FOX6 Milwaukee
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported icing on the aircraft’s wings while flying at about 24,000 feet and requested permission to descend. Air traffic control approved the descent.
The plane then entered a right-hand descending turn, which increased in rate before communications and tracking data were lost shortly before 10 p.m. These are preliminary details, not a final determination of what caused the crash. The NTSB is investigating.
The crash also deeply affected local aviation circles. Riek was described by fellow aviators as an experienced, active member of the community, while Harvey was a certified flight instructor. The tragedy followed another fatal Wisconsin-area plane crash the previous year, compounding the grief among people who knew and worked with those involved.
For Amanda’s loved ones, the loss is profoundly personal: a mother and daughter, a sister, and a family member who had been part of a joyful outing only hours before. Public reports have not provided confirmed funeral or memorial details, so those arrangements should be sought from the family or an official notice.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Haremza, Brion, and Turpin families, and to everyone mourning Amanda, Rylan, and the other victims. May they find strength in one another and comfort in the memories they shared.
