Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Tiffany and his pilot sustained minor injuries after their single-engine plane lost power and made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night, September 13, 2026, forcing both occupants to swim to safety before being rescued by emergency responders.
A trip home turned into an emergency water landing in central Wisconsin late Saturday, as a light aircraft carrying a congressional representative lost power during its approach to a municipal airport. The incident unfolded just before 9 p.m. on September 13, 2026, when Marathon County dispatchers received reports of a downed aircraft near Lake Wausau.
Emergency Water Landing in Lake Wausau
Rep. Tom Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft K35 Bonanza aircraft he was traveling in experienced a sudden loss of power while approaching the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot executed an emergency water landing directly onto Lake Wausau. Tiffany and the pilot were the only two people aboard the four-seater Beechcraft K35.
As the aircraft began to take on water and submerge, both occupants managed to get out of the cabin. They swam to a shallow area of the lake, where they placed a 911 call and waited for emergency rescue crews to reach them by boat.
“After landing, we called 911. 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,”
Rep. Tom Tiffany, via X and Facebook statement
The Wausau Fire Department says Marathon County dispatchers received a report of an aircraft that had gone down just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Authorities responded to South 3rd Avenue and additional personnel searched from South 17th Avenue bridge. Crews quickly located the two occupants in the water and were brought to shore by airboat. The Wausau Fire Department and other first responders transported both individuals to Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
Injuries and Hospital Care Following the Crash
Both individuals sustained minor injuries during the ordeal. Tiffany’s campaign reported that the congressman suffered a laceration above his right eye that required stitches before he was released from the hospital. The pilot was also released, but provided no details on the extent of their injuries.
“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,”
Rep. Tom Tiffany, Republican gubernatorial candidate
Federal Investigation and Ongoing Recovery
The FAA and NTSB have been notified and is under investigation by the two agencies as to what caused the aircraft to malfunction and lose power.
Meanwhile, Wausau Fire says the aircraft is still submerged in the lake and a no-wake buoy has been placed near it. Boaters are asked to avoid the marked area and use caution until crews are able to safely remove the aircraft from the water.
David Crowley, the Democratic candidate for governor, wrote on X that he is grateful that no one was hurt and lauded the heroism of the pilot.
“I’m 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. I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones.”
David Crowley, Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Milwaukee County Executive
Tiffany is running for governor on the Republican ticket in Wisconsin and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Tiffany, who represents Wisconsin’s seventh Congressional District and won the Republican nomination in August, is due to face Democratic nominee David Crowley in the November 3 gubernatorial election. Tiffany is set to address the media Sunday in Wausau regarding the incident. This is a developing story.
