A single-engine plane went down in swampy terrain near Sextonville in rural Richland County, leaving the pilot injured and trapped in terrain so thick that rescuers had to push through roughly 700 feet of swamp and marsh to reach him. Wisconsin DNR conservation warden Mike Williams maneuvered his airboat through cattails and bog to help with the rescue, working alongside local firefighters and sheriff's deputies.
According to the Richland County Sheriff's Office, the pilot was identified as Peter Aarsvold of Verona, who was conducting a maiden test flight of the aircraft when it crashed into a swamp and marsh area behind a residence. The sheriff's office said the crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. on October 12, 2026.
Responders used a drone to locate the crash site and monitor the scene as crews pushed through roughly 700 feet of swamp and marsh to reach the wreckage, the sheriff's office said. Richland Center Fire Chief Scott Gald thanked Williams and the DNR for providing the resource, while responders worked waist-deep in the swamp.
Airboat Becomes the Only Way In
Once rescue personnel extricated Aarsvold, they carried him to a point the DNR airboat could reach, and Williams loaded him aboard for the ride out. A Richland County Sheriff's Office deputy joined Williams as co-pilot, and Williams steered the boat through the muddy, weedy swamp under a lieutenant's direction, bringing Aarsvold to a staging area, where he was treated.
Gald thanked Williams and the DNR for providing the airboat, and Williams made trips during the operation to ferry firefighters.
Heat Takes a Toll on Rescuers
The rescue played out in roughly 85-degree heat, and the physical demands of the swamp eventually caught up with some of the responders. Three firefighters working in the swamp later needed hospital care for dehydration.
Accounts differ on what happened to Aarsvold after he was pulled from the swamp. The sheriff's office said he remained conscious and alert and was transported by Med Link to Gundersen Hospital, while other reporting has described him as airlifted to a hospital for treatment. His condition following treatment has not been disclosed.
Williams credited a warden boat training course for sharpening the airboat skills that helped him navigate the crash site, according to the seed account from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Facebook.
Investigation Continues
The cause of the crash has not been determined. The Richland County Sheriff's Office said the incident remains under investigation by its office, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Aviation Administration.
