Wausau, Wisconsin — Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and a pilot escaped with minor injuries after their small plane lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau late Saturday.
Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza experienced a loss of power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot, identified by the Associated Press as Leonard Boltz, brought the aircraft down on the lake.
“After landing, we called 911,” Tiffany wrote on X. He said the plane began to sink, forcing both men to exit and swim to a shallow area until emergency responders arrived by boat.
Tiffany suffered a cut above his right eye that required stitches, while both men were treated for minor injuries at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and later released. Emergency crews used a fire department airboat to reach them shortly after 9 p.m.
The aircraft remained partially submerged in Lake Wausau on Sunday, and authorities warned boaters to avoid the area while recovery efforts were underway. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to investigate the cause of the incident.
Tiffany represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is the Republican nominee for governor. He is scheduled to face Democrat David Crowley in the Nov. 3 election. Crowley publicly expressed relief that Tiffany and the pilot were not seriously hurt.
Sources
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