Wisconsin Congressman and Pilot Swim to Safety After Plane Emergency

Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican congressman from Wisconsin, recounted a dramatic escape after the plane he was traveling on made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau. The incident occurred on a Saturday evening when Tiffany was aboard a small single-engine aircraft. The plane experienced a power failure as it neared Wausau Downtown Airport.

According to the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, pilot Leonard Boltz executed an emergency landing on the lake. Tiffany described the situation in a post on X, stating that as the plane began to submerge, both he and Boltz exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area. They waited there until emergency responders arrived by boat.

Tiffany was returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska. He detailed that one of the plane’s occupants managed to call 911 while standing atop the submerged aircraft. Lt. Cory Gladden from the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office reported that the pair were in the water for approximately 20 minutes before being rescued.

Tiffany said, “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.”

Initial investigations suggest a mechanical failure prompted the emergency landing. Tiffany later shared online that he sustained an injury, requiring stitches above his right eye, but was discharged from the hospital. Boltz also received treatment for minor injuries.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will oversee the investigation into the incident. This report includes contributions from Wisconsin Public Radio’s Hope Kirwan.