Tom Tiffany Treated for Minor Injuries After Plane Lands in Lake Wausau
Sandego.net – Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany, who is also the Republican nominee for governor, was treated for minor injuries after a small aircraft carrying him made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night.
Tiffany said the incident occurred as he and the pilot were flying back toward central Wisconsin after attending the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska. As the aircraft approached Wausau Downtown Airport, it lost power, forcing the pilot to make a rapid decision over where to land.
Rather than attempting to reach the airport without engine power, the pilot brought the plane down on Lake Wausau. Tiffany said the two occupants called 911 after the water landing and escaped as the aircraft began to sink.
“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,” Tiffany said.
After leaving the plane, Tiffany and the pilot swam toward shallower water and waited there for emergency crews. Both men were rescued and taken from the lake before being transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment.
“They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care,” Tiffany said.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Dispatch communications from the incident indicated that a person aboard the plane called 911. In later radio traffic, an official at the scene confirmed that rescuers had brought two people from the aircraft to safety.
“Boat heads back to landing with two victims,” an official was heard telling dispatchers. “Both are alert and conscious.”
The aircraft will be marked with a buoy, and people have been asked to avoid the area around the plane. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin State Patrol responded alongside local emergency personnel. Federal aviation authorities are expected to take over the investigation into the loss of power and the water landing.
The review will likely focus on the aircraft’s condition, the circumstances leading up to the emergency and the pilot’s response as the plane neared Wausau Downtown Airport. The available details show that the flight ended in the lake after power was lost during the approach, rather than during an attempted takeoff or while the plane was at cruising altitude.
For Tiffany, the emergency ended with a hospital visit and a reunion with his wife, Chris. He described the experience as a sobering reminder of the fragility of life.
“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,” Tiffany said.
Political Opponent Offers Support
The incident comes during Tiffany’s campaign for Wisconsin governor. A member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, Tiffany secured the Republican nomination in the state’s gubernatorial primary with support from President Donald Trump.
His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, responded publicly with well wishes for Tiffany and praise for the pilot’s actions during the emergency.
“I am grateful to God that Congressman Tiffany and no one else was hurt in this horrifying incident, which could have been a tragedy if not for the heroism of the pilot,” Crowley said.
“I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones,” Crowley added.
The episode underscored how quickly an ordinary return flight can become an emergency. With the plane taking on water after landing, Tiffany and the pilot had to leave the aircraft and reach a safer area before responders arrived. Their rescue, while the two were alert and conscious, prevented a more serious outcome.
Officials have not released further details about the aircraft, its maintenance history or the precise reason it lost power. Those questions are expected to be addressed as the aviation investigation proceeds.
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