Wisconsin Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany had to swim to safety after his single-engine Bonanza aircraft lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau late Saturday night while returning from a political event. Both Tiffany and the pilot sustained minor injuries and were treated at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where Tiffany expressed gratitude for the quick response of emergency services and praised God’s protection during the incident.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican congressman from Wisconsin, had to swim to safety after his plane made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau late Saturday night while he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner. The single-engine Bonanza aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport, forcing the pilot to make a water landing in the lake. Both Tiffany and the pilot exited the plane as it began to submerge, swimming to a shallow area until emergency responders reached them by boat. They were then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Tiffany expressed his gratitude towards the Wausau Fire Department and other first responders for their quick assistance. His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, also commented on the incident, stating that he was "grateful to God" that Congressman Tiffany was not seriously injured in what could have been a tragic event due to the pilot's heroism.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it would investigate the crash of a Beechcraft K35 aircraft with two people aboard.
Written for “Wisconsin Congressman Plane Emergency” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 8410 · logged 2026-09-13
A Republican congressman had to swim to safety after a plane he was traveling in made an emergency landing in a lake late on Saturday night.
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he → have → night
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is recovering in hospital and says he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the light aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport.
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it → recover → Airport
The pilot made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau.
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pilot → make → Wausau
They both ended up in the water and swam to safety.
Tiffany is running for governor on the Republican ticket in Wisconsin and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
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Tiffany → end → Trump
The plane Tiffany was traveling in was a single-engine, four-seat Bonanza aircraft.
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Tiffany → travel → ?
"After landing, we called 911.
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we → call → 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," he wrote on X.
Emergency responders got both Tiffany and the pilot to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.
The post in full read:
“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.
“
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we → begin → Airport
The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.
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pilot → make → Wausau
After landing, we called 911.
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we → call → 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.
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responders → begin → boat
“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.
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who → want → aid
They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care.
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we → get → care
Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.
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pilot → sustain → 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.
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I → watch → side
An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
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life → remind → you
