Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Tiffany reported minor injuries after an emergency landing on Lake Wausau following a loss of power during approach to the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made a water landing, and both he and Tiffany exited safely before rescue teams arrived. Tiffany expressed gratitude towards first responders and praised the pilot's heroism in social media posts. His Democratic rival, David Crowley, also commented on the incident, expressing relief that no one was seriously hurt.
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 8533 · logged 2026-09-13
Wisconisn gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Tiffany said Sunday he sustained minor injuries after the plane he was traveling in made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau in central Wisconsin.
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he → say → Wisconsin
Tiffany, a Republican, said in a social media post he was returning from La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the plane he was traveling in lost power on approach to Wausau Downtown Airport, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in the water.
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he → say → water
As the plane began to submerge, Tiffany and the pilot exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area where they waited for emergency responders, he said.
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he → begin → responders
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 on his post.
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Tiffany → want → post
"Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries," he added.
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he → sustain → injuries
His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, responded by saying he was "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."
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which → respond → pilot
CBS affiliate WSAW-TV initially reported a private plane going down in Lake Wausau at 9 p.m. local time, quoting the Marathon County Sheriff's Office, with the investigation of the incident being handed over to Federal Aviation Authority.
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investigation → report → Authority
"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," Tiffany said in his post.
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Tiffany → remind → post
