This was shocking!
Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Tiffany is recovering after surviving a frightening plane emergency that sent him and the pilot into the waters of Lake Wausau.
The dramatic incident unfolded Saturday night as Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner.
Tiffany was traveling aboard a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza piloted by Leonard Boltz when the aircraft lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport.
With the plane unable to continue normally, Boltz made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau.
Tiffany later described just how quickly the situation unfolded.
According to his account, the pilot warned him that the aircraft was going down and instructed him to tighten his seat belt. Tiffany said only about 10 seconds passed before the plane struck the water.
The landing was only the beginning of the ordeal.
Plane Begins Sinking in Lake Wausau
After coming down on the lake, Tiffany and Boltz initially remained with the aircraft. They contacted 911, but the situation became increasingly dangerous as the plane started sinking into the water.
The two men eventually had little choice but to leave the aircraft and swim toward safety.
Tiffany said they swam approximately 100 to 150 feet before reaching water shallow enough for them to stand.
Emergency crews were already working to locate them.
The Wausau Fire Department deployed an airboat, and first responders reached Tiffany and Boltz shortly after 9 p.m.
Both men were taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment.
Despite the potentially dangerous circumstances, their injuries were relatively minor.
Tiffany suffered a cut above his right eye that required 12 stitches. Boltz also required stitches for an injury.
Tiffany Credits God After Harrowing Escape
Following the emergency, Tiffany focused much of his public response on faith and gratitude.
“God was watching over us tonight,” Tiffany said in his initial statement.
The congressman said the experience reminded him of just how precious life is.
He also thanked Boltz for his actions in the cockpit and expressed appreciation for the firefighters, law enforcement officers, medical workers and other emergency personnel who responded.
“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.
Tiffany said emergency personnel safely removed them from the water and transported them to the hospital, where both received medical treatment.
For the Wisconsin lawmaker, the ordeal became an emotional reminder of how quickly an ordinary trip can turn into a life-threatening emergency.
Pilot Praised After Emergency Landing
Boltz, a retired Air Force pilot, has received praise for bringing the powerless aircraft down on the lake.
Tiffany publicly expressed his appreciation for the pilot and became emotional while recounting the experience to reporters Sunday.
The congressman said he was grateful that both men were able to walk away from an incident that could have had a far different outcome.
First responders also played a critical role.
According to local authorities, emergency dispatchers received the initial call at approximately 8:49 p.m. Firefighters searched the area before deploying an airboat, which reached the two men at approximately 9:05 p.m.
They were then taken to shore and transported to the hospital.
Democratic Opponent Responds
The frightening incident also produced a bipartisan response in Wisconsin’s closely watched race for governor.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Tiffany’s Democratic opponent, publicly expressed relief that Tiffany and the pilot survived.
Crowley said he was grateful that nobody was seriously hurt and praised the pilot’s actions during the emergency. He also wished Tiffany a speedy recovery.
The response temporarily put the political battle between the two gubernatorial candidates aside as attention focused on Tiffany’s safety and the work of the pilot and first responders.
Tiffany represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is the Republican candidate for governor. Crowley is the Democratic candidate.
Investigation Into Loss of Power Underway
One major question remains unanswered: What caused the aircraft to lose power?
Federal authorities are examining the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to investigate the loss of power, while the National Transportation Safety Board was awaiting the FAA’s assessment to determine its involvement.
The aircraft remained in Lake Wausau on Sunday, and authorities placed a no-wake buoy near its location. Boaters were asked to avoid the area while officials dealt with the partially submerged plane.
Until investigators complete their work, the precise cause of the mechanical problem remains undetermined.
For Tiffany, however, the immediate concern is no longer politics or the campaign trail.
It is gratitude.
After an emergency landing, a sinking aircraft and a swim through Lake Wausau, Tiffany and Boltz both made it home with only minor injuries.
Tiffany’s message afterward was simple: He was thankful to be alive, grateful for the pilot beside him and appreciative of the first responders who came to their aid.