Federal authorities are investigating the crash of a small plane that occurred on Wednesday in southern Wisconsin. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the incident via a tweet, identifying the aircraft as a Mooney M20R and the location as near Watertown, Wisconsin, a city situated approximately 48 miles northwest of Milwaukee.

News footage from helicopters above the crash site revealed what appeared to be scattered wreckage across a field and into a nearby wooded area. A Watertown resident, Mary Bellows, reported hearing the plane followed by a loud explosion around midday. She described her house shaking and witnessing a substantial smoke plume rising near her property.

As of early afternoon, local authorities had not yet provided any official statements regarding the incident. The Associated Press reached out to the Watertown Police Department for further details and comment.