Emergency Water Landing in Lake Wausau

Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for the Wisconsin governor position and U.S. Representative, faced a harrowing incident. On Saturday night, he and a pilot survived an emergency landing in Lake Wausau after their small plane lost power. Both escaped with minor injuries.

Returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner, the aircraft lost power as it neared Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot executed a water landing successfully. Tiffany stated on social media, ‘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.’

A report from the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office indicated that a private aircraft entered Lake Wausau around 9 p.m. local time. Local reports confirmed that two individuals sustained minor injuries and were treated at a hospital.

The Wausau Fire Department, along with other first responders, safely removed Tiffany and the pilot from the water, taking them to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Both sustained only minor injuries, as Tiffany noted, ‘Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.’

Tiffany expressed gratitude towards the pilot and emergency crews, adding, ‘God was watching over us tonight. 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.’

Background on Tom Tiffany

Tom Tiffany serves as a Republican congressman for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District while running for governor in 2026. Entering Congress in 2020 after a special election, Tiffany previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate. He grew up on a dairy farm and operated a Northwoods excursion-boat business with his wife, Chris. Currently, he holds positions on the House Judiciary and Natural Resources committees.

The Role of Air Travel in Politics

Small planes are a common mode of transport for American politicians, especially in large or rural states. Aviation accidents have significantly impacted political history. For example, in October 2002, a plane carrying Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone crashed near Eveleth, Minnesota. In October 2000, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan died in a twin-engine Cessna crash while heading to a campaign event. Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens also perished in a 2010 floatplane crash, having survived a previous aviation accident decades earlier.

This story continues to develop and will be updated as more information becomes available.