Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidate Survives Emergency Lake Landing
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, survived an emergency landing Saturday night when the small plane carrying him lost power near Wausau Downtown Airport. Tiffany and pilot Leonard Boltz escaped the aircraft after it came down in Lake Wausau shortly before 9 p.m.
Speaking to reporters Sunday at a downtown Wausau firehouse, Tiffany described the moments before impact. He said Boltz warned that the plane was going down and instructed him to tighten his seat belt. About 10 seconds later, the aircraft struck the water.
The two men initially remained on top of the plane but began swimming as it sank. Tiffany estimated they traveled between 100 and 150 feet before reaching water shallow enough to stand. Boltz then called 911, and emergency responders brought both men to safety by fire department airboat shortly after 9 p.m.
Tiffany suffered a cut above his right eye and received 12 stitches. Boltz, whom Tiffany identified as a retired Air Force pilot, also sustained cuts and received four stitches. Tiffany expressed gratitude for their survival and said the seriousness of the incident became clearer to him the following day. He also said the event would not affect his gubernatorial campaign.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley publicly wished Tiffany a quick recovery and praised the pilot’s actions.
The aircraft, a single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza, remained in the lake after the incident. Authorities placed a no-wake buoy nearby and asked boaters to avoid the area until the plane could be removed.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the emergency landing. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would wait for the FAA’s assessment before determining whether the aircraft sustained enough damage to warrant its involvement. No additional injuries were reported in the account of the incident.