Free-farrowing without any kind of restraint is associated with high rates of piglet death. As in standard housing systems, improvement relies upon analysis of causes and risk factors. Mortality rates were audited on a farm where sows farrowed freely, in straw-bedded pens with individual outdoor access (Physior® concept). A total of 71 piglets found dead between birth and 3 days ofage were collected from two batches, in 2022 and 2023, and frozen. The time and place of death (indoors/outdoors), status (stillborn/born alive), and probable causes of death were recorded for each. In-depth analysis of thawed piglets included the weight, Intra Uterine Growth Retardation score (IUGR), hoof-tip status, abnormalities, wounds, or signs of crushing. Birth status and stomach contents were investigated by lung ultra-sonography and autopsy, respectively. Litter characteristics were recorded in the farm’s software (Pig’UP®). Thirty-seven percent of dead piglets were true stillborn, which agreed well with on-farm records. The mean weight of dead piglets varied (1 270 ± 422 g), with few runts under 700 g (10 %), IUGR (15 %), and 37 % heavy piglets (≥ 1 400 g). Live born piglets were found dead in large litters (83 % > 16 total born), mainly indoors (89 %), and the main cause was crushing (84 %). A high rate of empty stomachs (53 %), including among heavy piglets (35 %), may explain the high crushing rates. This may have been related to poor colostrum intake and/or hypothermia, as usual standard care procedures (drying, suckling assistance) are difficult to implement in this kind of housing with both free-farrowing and outdoor access.