LAKE WAUSAU — The emergency landing occurred Saturday night. CBS affiliate WSAW-TV reported the plane went down at 9 p.m. local time. A private plane made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau at 9 p.m. Saturday, according to the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office.

Tiffany stated he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska, Wisconsin, when the incident occurred. The plane lost power on approach to Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.

Tiffany and the pilot exited the aircraft as it began to submerge and swam to a shallow area. They waited for emergency responders in the shallow area. Someone inside the plane made a 911 call.

Two people were rescued from the plane. Both individuals rescued were alert and conscious. The Wausau Fire Department and other emergency responders rescued Tiffany and the pilot from the water, and both were transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital and suffered only minor injuries, according to Tiffany. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and State Patrol responded to the scene.

Tiffany said: "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." He added that he was thankful for the outcome. Tiffany said: "Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries."

Tiffany reflected on the experience while recovering. He said: "God was watching over us tonight, and 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."

David Crowley is Tiffany's Democratic opponent in the governor’s race. Crowley has served as the seventh executive of Milwaukee County since 2020. Crowley is the first African American to serve as Milwaukee County's top official and the youngest person elected to the office, having taken office in May 2020 at age 33.

Crowley issued a statement regarding the crash. Crowley said: "I am 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." Crowley said: "I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones."

The Marathon County Sheriff's Office quoted by WSAW-TV stated the investigation was handed over to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office stated the plane will be marked with a buoy and asked people to stay away.

Why It Matters

Tom Tiffany is running for Governor of Wisconsin. Tom Tiffany won the Republican nomination for governor of Wisconsin in the primary elections. Tom Tiffany is a member of the House Freedom Caucus. Tom Tiffany received support from President Donald Trump in the primary elections.

The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Tony Evers declined to seek re-election to a third term. The event shows the risks associated with political travel during an active election cycle.

What's New

David Crowley said: "I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones." Research titled "La Follette, Robert Marion (1855-1925), Wisconsin governor, U.S. congressman, and Progressive presidential candidate" was published in 2000 in American National Biography Online.

Research titled "Gay Republican in the American Culture War: Wisconsin Congressman Steve Gunderson, 1989–1996" was published in 2013 in The Moral Panics of Sexuality.