Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial nominee and U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany swam to safety after the single-engine aircraft he was traveling in lost power and made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau late Saturday, September 12, 2026. Both Tiffany and the pilot sustained minor injuries and were rescued by the Wausau Fire Department.
Engine Failure on Approach to Wausau Downtown Airport
The flight was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when mechanical trouble struck as the light aircraft approached Wausau Downtown Airport. Representative Tom Tiffany and pilot Leonard Boltz were the only occupants aboard the Beechcraft K35 single-engine aircraft, which was manufactured in 1959. Flight tracking data from FlightAware shows the plane was flying a 191-mile route from Burlington to Antigo.
Faced with a sudden loss of power, the pilot executed an emergency water landing on Lake Wausau, according to the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office. As the aircraft began to take on water, the passengers evacuated and swam to a shallow area to await rescue while calling 911.
The plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport,
Tiffany shared in a social media post early Sunday morning. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.
After landing, we called 911. As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat,
he wrote on X.
Rescue Operations and Hospital Treatment on Lake Wausau
The Wausau Fire Department deployed an airboat that reached the two men just after 9 p.m. Emergency responders transported both survivors to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for evaluation and medical care.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly. They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care.”
Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin U.S. Representative and gubernatorial candidate
Tiffany received stitches above his right eye and was discharged from the hospital late Saturday night, alongside the pilot who was also released.
“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side. An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin U.S. Representative and gubernatorial candidate
Federal Investigation and Submerged Aircraft Recovery
The 1959 Bonanza aircraft remained submerged in Lake Wausau on Sunday morning. The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office placed a no-wake buoy near the wreckage and issued warnings for local boaters to avoid the marked area until retrieval crews remove the plane.
A no-wake buoy has been placed near the aircraft,
the sheriff’s office shared on Facebook. Boaters are asked to avoid the marked area and use caution until crews can remove the aircraft.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the incident.
Political Context in the Wisconsin Gubernatorial Race
Tiffany won the Republican nomination during the gubernatorial primary in mid-August 2026 and carries an endorsement from Donald Trump for the general election.
He is scheduled to face Democratic nominee Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in the general election, a race categorized as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
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