Overview
- A small Beechcraft Bonanza lost power on final approach and made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau on Saturday night, forcing Rep. Tom Tiffany and the pilot to exit the sinking plane and swim to shallow water.
- A Wausau Fire Department airboat located and pulled both men from the lake about 15–20 minutes after a 911 call; Tiffany received stitches above his right eye and both were released from Aspirus Wausau Hospital the same night.
- Officials identified the pilot as Leonard Boltz, praised his skill in executing the water landing, and marked the submerged aircraft with a buoy while asking boaters to avoid the area until removal.
- Local agencies have secured the scene and handed investigative responsibility to the Federal Aviation Administration, with the NTSB standing by to decide whether a separate full investigation is warranted.
- Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, said the incident will not halt his campaign; the event drew bipartisan public reactions and leaves the campaign watching for FAA findings in the weeks before the November election.