MINERAL POINT, Wis. (July 17, 2026) – A 77-year-old Kansas pilot escaped injury Friday after his single-engine aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing at the lowa County Airport in the Town of Mineral Point.
According to the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting the crash at approximately 11:54 a.m.
Investigators said the aircraft had just departed the airport when it experienced mechanical problems. The pilot attempted to return to the airport, but the aircraft crashed on the airport’s east-west runway during the emergency landing attempt.
The pilot, identified as Robert Michael Bunn, 77, of Salina, Kansas, was the only person on board. Authorities said he was able to exit the aircraft on his own and was evaluated at the scene by Mineral Point EMS and the crew of UW Med Flight Med 2, which is based at the airport. He was not injured and did not require transportation to a hospital.
Emergency response agencies included the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, Mineral Point Fire Department, Mineral Point EMS, Mineral Point Police Department, airport personnel, and UW Med Flight Med 2.
The airport was temporarily closed while emergency crews secured the scene and notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA is investigating the cause of the mechanical failure and the crash.
Authorities credited the coordinated response of emergency personnel and airport staff for their handling of the incident.
