Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries following an emergency landing of a small aircraft on Lake Wausau on Saturday night. The Republican nominee for governor was traveling in a Beechcraft K35 single-engine plane when the aircraft encountered a mechanical malfunction, prompting the pilot to execute an emergency descent toward the water.
The plane lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport while returning from a dinner event in La Crosse County. A 911 call reporting a plane crash on the lake was received at 20:49 local time. Both Tiffany and the pilot, the only two occupants aboard, exited the aircraft as it began to sink and made their way to shallow water.
Emergency responders from the Wausau Fire Department arrived by airboat approximately 15 minutes after the initial distress call and retrieved both men from the water. Tiffany sustained a small laceration above his right eye. The pilot also reported minor injuries from the incident.
Following the rescue, Tiffany was transported to a hospital, where he was reunited with his wife. He described the experience as a reminder of life’s value and expressed gratitude for the outcome. The aircraft, a five-seat Bonanza, remains submerged in the lake as crews prepare removal operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been engaged to investigate the cause of the mechanical failure. The specific nature of the mechanical issue has not been determined at this time.
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