Rep. Tom Tiffany Details Lake Wausau Emergency Landing As FAA Probe Begins
Rep. Tom Tiffany and the pilot made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau just before 9 p.m. Central on Saturday after their single-engine plane lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport.[1]
The pilot, Leonard Boltz, and Tiffany exited the Beechcraft as it began to submerge and swam to a shallow area before emergency responders rescued them by airboat shortly after 9 p.m.[1] Lt. Cory Gladden said they were in the water about 20 minutes and that initial information points to a mechanical failure as the plane approached the airport.[2] Both men were taken to a nearby hospital, treated for minor injuries and released, and Tiffany received stitches for a cut above his right eye, his campaign said.[3] One of the plane's occupants placed a 911 call while they stood on the partially submerged aircraft, officials said.[2]
Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska and is the Republican nominee for governor of Wisconsin, according to reports.[2] He said the incident "will not deter" his campaign and added that "God was watching over us tonight," while Democratic opponent David Crowley praised the pilot's actions and wished them a quick recovery on X.[3]
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it will investigate the emergency landing, and the National Transportation Safety Board said it will wait on the FAA's damage assessment before deciding whether to open a separate probe.[1]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The emergency landing happened just before 9 p.m. Central on Saturday, September 12, 2026, when the aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport and went into Lake Wausau (Wausau Downtown Airport).
- The pilot, Leonard Boltz, and Rep. Tom Tiffany exited the airplane as it began to submerge and swam to a shallow area before being rescued (Leonard Boltz).
- The aircraft is described as a Beechcraft-type single‑engine plane; PBS and NPR call it a Beechcraft/Bonanza while MS NOW specifically identifies it as a Beechcraft K35 (Beechcraft K35).
- The Marathon County Sheriff's Office said emergency responders used a fire department airboat to rescue both men shortly after 9 p.m.; they were taken to a nearby hospital, treated for minor injuries and released, and a no‑wake buoy was placed near the partially submerged plane (Marathon County Sheriff's Office).
- Tiffany’s campaign said he suffered a cut above his right eye that required stitches, and officials say a 911 call was placed from the occupants standing on top of the partially submerged plane after landing (his campaign).
- Lt. Cory Gladden told reporters the two were in the water for about 20 minutes before responders reached them and that initial information indicates a mechanical failure as the plane approached the airport (Lt. Cory Gladden).
- The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it will investigate the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board is awaiting the FAA’s damage assessment to determine whether it will open its own probe (FAA).
- Tiffany — the Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial nominee returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner — said the incident “will not deter” his yearlong campaign and reflected that “God was watching over us tonight,” while Democratic opponent David Crowley praised the pilot’s actions and wished them a quick recovery on X (Rep. Tom Tiffany).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article confirms the incident occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2026, during Tiffany’s return from a campaign fundraising event in La Crosse County.
- Tiffany publicly described spending about 10 minutes standing on top of the partially submerged Beechcraft K35 before he and the pilot decided to swim to a shallow area.
- He reiterated on Sunday, September 13, 2026, that the emergency landing and injuries "will not deter" his yearlong campaign to become Wisconsin’s next governor.
- Democratic opponent David Crowley issued a public statement on X on Sunday praising the pilot’s "heroism" and wishing Tiffany and the pilot a quick recovery.
- Tiffany said he and the pilot called 911 from the aircraft after landing and exited as the plane began to submerge, again emphasizing they both swam to safety.
- The article quotes Tiffany saying, "God was watching over us tonight" and that the experience reminded him "how precious life is," expanding on his prior brief statements.
- NPR reports that the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the September 12, 2026 emergency landing on Lake Wausau.
- Lt. Cory Gladden told Wisconsin Public Radio that Tiffany and pilot Leonard Boltz were in the water for about 20 minutes before emergency responders reached them.
- Gladden said initial information indicates the Beechcraft-type single-engine aircraft suffered a mechanical failure as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport.
- NPR confirms Tiffany is the Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial nominee and that he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska when the power loss occurred.
- The 911 call was made by one of the plane's occupants while they were standing on top of the partially submerged aircraft, according to Gladden's account.
- The emergency landing occurred just before 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, September 12, 2026, as the aircraft approached Wausau Downtown Airport and lost power.
- The pilot is identified as Leonard Boltz, who, along with Rep. Tom Tiffany, exited the Beechcraft Bonanza as it began to submerge and swam to a shallow area before being rescued.
- Marathon County Sheriff's Office said both men were rescued by emergency responders using a fire department airboat shortly after 9 p.m., taken to a nearby hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released.
- Tiffany suffered a cut above his right eye that required stitches, according to his campaign, and he described the sequence of events in a post on X.
- The sheriff's office placed a no-wake buoy near the partially submerged aircraft in Lake Wausau and asked boaters to avoid the area until the plane can be removed.
- The FAA confirmed it will investigate the incident, while the NTSB said it is waiting on the FAA's damage assessment to decide whether NTSB involvement is required.
- The article specifies that Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the power loss and emergency landing occurred.
- Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley publicly wished Tiffany a quick recovery and praised the pilot's actions in a post on X.