U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee in Wisconsin’s race for governor, was treated for minor injuries after a small four-seat aircraft carrying him suffered an engine failure and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night, September 12. Both the lawmaker and the pilot were able to safely escape the sinking plane before emergency personnel arrived on the scene.
According to statements released by law enforcement, the private aircraft was approaching the Wausau Downtown Airport when it encountered sudden mechanical complications. Campaign officials confirmed that the plane lost engine power during its descent, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency water landing directly in the nearby lake just short of the runway.
The aircraft was operated by pilot Leonard Boltz, with Tiffany traveling alongside him as the only passenger. Following the impact on the water, the aircraft began to take on water and submerge. Tiffany and Boltz quickly exited the cabin and managed to swim through the water toward a shallower section of the lake while waiting for emergency responders to reach their location.
The Marathon County Emergency 911 Communications Center logged the initial report of the plane crash at 8:49 p.m. Saturday. Tiffany and Boltz placed an emergency call to 911 dispatchers shortly after getting out of the aircraft, setting off a rapid multi-agency rescue response across local municipal emergency departments.
By 9:05 p.m., approximately sixteen minutes after the emergency call was dispatched, an airboat crew from the Wausau Fire Department reached the two men. First responders pulled both Tiffany and Boltz from the water and transported them directly to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.
Medical personnel treated Tiffany for a facial laceration above his right eye that required stitches to close. The congressman was subsequently discharged from the hospital later on Saturday night. Representatives from Tiffany's campaign announced that he planned to hold a public press briefing in Wausau on Sunday afternoon to discuss the ordeal.
Around midnight, Tiffany shared an update on social media expressing profound gratitude for his survival and the support of his family. The congressman noted that divine intervention was watching over them during the harrowing landing, adding that he was grateful to be recovering alongside his wife, Chris, and reflecting on how an emergency of this scale reinforces the precious nature of life.
The emergency prompted bipartisan support across Wisconsin’s political sphere. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who is running against Tiffany as the Democratic nominee for governor, issued a public message extending well wishes to both Tiffany and the pilot, expressing hope for their swift physical recovery and peaceful time with loved ones.
The forced landing occurred in Lake Wausau, situated immediately north of the runway at Wausau Downtown Airport. According to data maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the body of water features a mean depth of roughly 7 feet and reaches a maximum depth of approximately 30 feet in certain sections.
Local authorities clarified that Wausau Downtown Airport is a separate facility from the Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee, which is located roughly 14 miles to the south and frequently serves as a venue for large-scale campaign events and political rallies. The proximity of Lake Wausau to the downtown airfield ultimately served as the landing area when the plane lost power on approach.
As of Sunday morning, the Marathon County Sheriff's Office reported that the aircraft remained submerged in the lake awaiting recovery. Emergency personnel anchored a specialized no-wake buoy near the site of the wreckage, and authorities advised recreational boaters to steer clear of the area to ensure safety and protect the scene for recovery teams.
Federal and regional transportation safety authorities have initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding the flight. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office confirmed that both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were formally alerted to the crash and are heading the inquiry into the mechanical failure.
The rescue effort involved multiple emergency and public safety organizations operating in Marathon County. In addition to the Wausau Fire Department and the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, assisting agencies included the Wausau Police Department, SAFER Fire/EMS, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Investigators identified the aircraft as a Beechcraft K35, a popular model from the four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza series. The Bonanza line historically acquired the informal nickname "Doctor Killer" following a series of high-profile mid-20th-century crashes, including a 1947 incident that claimed the lives of top Oregon state officials and a 1975 crash involving a California congressman, though safety training programs have advanced significantly since that era.
Tiffany has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since entering Congress in 2020, following previous legislative service in both the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. The weekend emergency occurs in the midst of an active campaign season as he seeks the Wisconsin governorship in the upcoming general election.
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