Representative Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, told followers on X that he and his pilot survived an emergency water landing after the aircraft lost power near Wausau Downtown Airport. The incident occurred while the pair were returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner.
"While returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner tonight, the plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau," Tiffany posted early Sunday.
After the plane began to submerge, the congressman and pilot exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area. They called 911 and waited for emergency responders to arrive by boat. The rescue team safely transported them to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where both received excellent care.
Tiffany said the pilot and he sustained only minor injuries. "Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries," he added.
Wisconsin’s seventh Congressional District representative, endorsed by President Donald Trump, is due to face Democratic nominee David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive, in the November 3 gubernatorial election. Crowley expressed relief that no one was seriously hurt, calling the incident "horrifying" but noting the pilot’s heroism kept it from becoming a tragedy.
Officials have not released further details on the cause of the power loss, but the event underscores the risks of small aircraft operations in the region.
