Tom Tiffany walked away from a terrifying lake landing with only minor injuries after a small plane lost power near Wausau, Wisconsin. The Republican gubernatorial candidate and the pilot ended up swimming to safety as the aircraft went under, turning a routine trip home into a split-second survival story.
The plane, a four-seat Beechcraft K35 Bonanza, was approaching Wausau Downtown Airport late Saturday after Tiffany had attended the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner. According to Tiffany, the aircraft lost power just as it was coming in, forcing the pilot to put it down on Lake Wausau instead of reaching the runway.
Once the plane hit the water, things moved fast. Tiffany said the pair called 911 right away, but the aircraft started taking on water and sinking before rescuers could get there.
“The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau,” Tiffany wrote on X.
In a statement released by the campaign, Tiffany’s team said he suffered a cut above his right eye that needed stitches and was released from the hospital later that night. The pilot was also released, and both were described as having only minor injuries after the ordeal.
“Tom suffered a laceration above his right eye that required stitches and was released from the hospital last night. The pilot was also released. Tom and his family thank God that neither suffered more serious injuries and are grateful for the exceptional care he received at Aspirus Wausau Hospital,” the statement read.
Tiffany described the escape in simple, vivid terms. “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 said.
He and the pilot were eventually pulled from the lake and taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. The campaign said the two were the only people on board, and the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will handle the investigation into what caused the loss of power.
Tiffany also said his wife, Chris, was with him at the hospital after the crash landing. “God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” he said. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
Social media quickly filled with relief and support after Tiffany shared what happened. The tone was less political chatter and more plain human concern, with plenty of people reacting to how close the situation came to becoming something far worse.
“My god! What an ordeal. Very grateful everyone is safe,” one person wrote.
“Very glad you are okay, Congressman Tiffany,” another commented.
“Prayers to you and everyone aboard that flight!” a third person wrote. “So thankful you are all alive and able to see your loved ones.”
Tiffany currently represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is running as the Republican candidate for governor in the state’s upcoming election. The crash landing adds an unexpected jolt to a campaign that was already heading into a high-stakes stretch, and the cause of the power loss remains under investigation.
1 Comment
Fiery crash? What the H?