Elections
Wisconsin GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany survives emergency plane landing on lake
PN Team • 2 months ago
Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, sustained minor injuries late Saturday when the small plane he was traveling in lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport and made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau. Tiffany, 68, was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska when the pilot warned him seconds before impact that they were going down. The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza hit the water hard; the two men forced the door open, called 911, and swam to a shallow area as the plane began sinking, waiting there until emergency responders arrived by fire department airboat.
Both men were treated at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and released; Tiffany required 12 stitches for a cut above his eye, while the pilot needed four stitches. Speaking emotionally at a Sunday news conference, Tiffany said it was "by the grace of God" they survived and thanked first responders. The FAA confirmed the aircraft had engine-related problems and is investigating; the NTSB is awaiting a damage assessment. Tiffany, endorsed by President Trump, said he will continue his campaign against Democrat David Crowley in the November 3 race, which recent polling shows as closely contested.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Republican Party (United States) The Republican nominee's near-fatal plane crash is a tangential mention of the party affiliation with no direct reputational effect on the party itself.
- United States House of Representatives Tiffany's role as a sitting House Representative is mentioned factually without reputational implication for the institution.
- Wisconsin Wisconsin is mentioned as the state context for the gubernatorial race and crash location, a neutral factual reference.