US Rep. Tom Tiffany survives emergency plane landing in Lake Wausau

US Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, recounted on Sunday how he survived an emergency landing in Lake Wausau after the small plane he was aboard lost power on its final approach.

Speaking to reporters at a firehouse in downtown Wausau, Tiffany said the pilot, Leonard Boltz, warned him moments before impact. He described tightening his seat belt as instructed, and said the aircraft struck the water roughly ten seconds later.

Tiffany, 68, said he and Boltz stayed on top of the plane until it started to sink, then decided to swim for shore. They covered about 100 to 150 feet (30 to 45 metres) before reaching water shallow enough to stand in, he said.

The Marathon County Sheriff's Office said the emergency landing occurred shortly before 9 p.m. on Saturday. Boltz called 911 after the two got clear of the aircraft, and emergency responders reached them in a fire department airboat just after 9 p.m.

Tiffany said he suffered a cut above his right eye that needed 12 stitches, while Boltz, a retired Air Force pilot, also sustained cuts and received four stitches.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Tiffany said the seriousness of the situation was only then settling in, noting that the pair had joked throughout the night despite knowing the danger. He said he felt fortunate to have survived.

Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport.

David Crowley, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, wished Tiffany a quick recovery in a post on X and praised the pilot's heroism.

Tiffany said the incident would not affect his campaign for governor.

The sheriff's office said a no-wake buoy was placed near the plane, which remained in the lake, and boaters were asked to avoid the area until it could be removed. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said the agency would investigate. A National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said the board was waiting for the FAA to assess whether the damage was substantial enough for it to take part.