A routine Saturday flight turned into a scare near Amery when a single‑engine airplane went down in a farm field about 1.5 miles south of Amery Municipal Airport in Polk County. The plane came to a sudden stop with its nose buried in the ground, and the pilot, the only person aboard, was airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Authorities said the pilot is expected to be okay.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, cited by WQOW, the aircraft suffered an engine failure while en route to Brainerd, Minnesota, after fueling at an airport in Menomonie. Amery Fire, Amery Police, Northwestern Municipal Ambulance, and the Life Link III air ambulance all responded to the scene.
Where the Plane Came Down
The wreckage ended up in a farm field roughly 1.5 miles south of Amery Municipal Airport, which the Wisconsin DOT notes sits just south of the city. Amery’s municipal field offers 24‑hour self‑serve fuel and a 4,000‑foot runway, making it a common stop for local cross‑state flights.
Investigators Called In
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office told WQOW that both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the incident. The NTSB describes its investigative role on its website, explaining that the agency documents wreckage, as well as maintenance and pilot records, in order to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations.
Officials have not yet released the pilot’s name or the plane’s registration number, and the sheriff’s office said it will share more information when it becomes available.
