Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany suffers minor injuries when his plane makes an emergency landing in a lake

Tom Tiffany Treated After Plane Lands on Lake Wausau

Activelifezero.com – Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany was hospitalized with minor injuries after the small plane carrying him and its pilot lost power and made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau on Saturday night.

Tiffany, a Republican congressman and his party’s gubernatorial nominee in Wisconsin, said the aircraft was heading home after he attended the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska. The emergency unfolded as the plane neared Wausau Downtown Airport in central Wisconsin.

The pilot brought the aircraft down on Lake Wausau after the power failure, Tiffany said in a social-media post. He and the pilot called 911, then left the plane as it began to sink. Both men swam to shallow water and waited there for rescuers.

“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 wrote.

Emergency crews removed the two occupants from the water and took them to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Tiffany said he received excellent treatment there and was joined by his wife, Chris.

“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side. An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is,” Tiffany said.

Both Occupants Rescued Conscious

Dispatch recordings from the response captured the urgency of the rescue after the 911 call came from inside the aircraft. As responders reached the scene, an official confirmed that two people had been brought aboard a boat.

“Boat heads back to landing with two victims,” the official told dispatchers. “Both are alert and conscious.”

The condition of the aircraft and the circumstances that caused the loss of power remain under review. Authorities plan to mark the plane’s location with a buoy, and members of the public have been asked to avoid the area around the submerged aircraft.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin State Patrol responded alongside local emergency personnel. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to take over the investigation into the incident.

Water landings can present a rapidly changing danger for everyone aboard. Even when an aircraft reaches the surface without a collision on land, occupants may have only limited time to escape before water enters the cabin or the plane sinks. Tiffany’s account indicated that the pair were able to get out and reach a shallow section of the lake before emergency teams arrived.

Political Rivals Respond After Near-Tragedy

The incident occurred during Tiffany’s campaign for Wisconsin governor. A member of the House Freedom Caucus, Tiffany secured the Republican nomination in the state’s primary election with support from President Donald Trump.

His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, offered well wishes after learning of the crash. Crowley said the event could have ended much differently without the pilot’s actions.

“I am grateful to God that Congressman Tiffany and no one else was hurt in this horrifying incident, which could have been a tragedy if not for the heroism of the pilot,” Crowley said.

“I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones,” he added.

The emergency brought together a broad response from local fire personnel, law enforcement officers and state agencies. For residents near Lake Wausau, the buoy marking the plane will serve as a reminder that the investigation is still active and that the water near the crash site should remain clear for safety and recovery work.

Tiffany’s injuries were described as minor, and both people aboard survived the landing. Investigators will examine the aircraft, the reported power loss and the final approach toward Wausau Downtown Airport as they work to establish what led to the emergency on the lake.