Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate and United States Rep. Tom Tiffany survived a frightening aviation emergency Saturday night after a small plane lost power near Wausau and was forced into Lake Wausau. Tiffany and the pilot escaped with only minor injuries.

The four seat Bonanza aircraft was approaching Wausau Downtown Airport when it suddenly lost power, according to Tiffany. He was returning from an appearance at the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the routine flight became a fight for survival.

With airport pavement apparently out of reach, the pilot turned toward the lake and carried out a dangerous emergency maneuver. "The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau," Tiffany wrote on X.

The landing itself was only the beginning of the ordeal.

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Tiffany said he and the pilot quickly contacted 911, but the damaged aircraft began taking on water before emergency crews could reach their location.

As the plane sank deeper, remaining inside was no longer an option.

"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," Tiffany said.

That meant the congressman and pilot had to leave the relative shelter of the cabin, enter the lake, and swim toward shallower water. They waited there until rescuers arrived by boat and brought them to safety.

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Both men were transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

Tiffany said they sustained only minor injuries, a remarkable outcome considering the lost power, emergency landing, sinking aircraft, and nighttime swim.

"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 said.

"They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care."

Tiffany also credited divine protection after the harrowing escape.

His wife, Chris, joined him at the hospital as he recovered and reflected on how quickly an ordinary campaign trip had turned into a brush with disaster.

"God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side," he said.

"An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is."

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. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau. After landing, we called 911. As the plane began to…

— Tom Tiffany (@TomTiffanyWI) September 13, 2026

The episode placed campaign schedules and political sparring in their proper perspective, at least for one night.

When an aircraft is sinking into a Wisconsin lake, there are no consultants, talking points, or polished television spots that can substitute for a capable pilot and fast moving first responders.

Messages of prayer, relief, and gratitude quickly appeared across social media after Tiffany disclosed what happened.

"My god! What an ordeal. Very grateful everyone is safe," one person wrote.

Another commenter offered a direct message of support, writing, "Very glad you are okay, Congressman Tiffany."

A third message read, "Prayers to you and everyone aboard that flight!" followed by, "So thankful you are all alive and able to see your loved ones."

Tiffany represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the state’s upcoming election.

The dramatic incident now becomes part of a campaign already drawing attention as Republicans prepare for another consequential statewide contest.

The congressman has been positioning himself as a conservative choice for Wisconsin voters, but campaign politics understandably took a back seat after Saturday’s emergency.

His account focused on gratitude for the pilot, firefighters, medical personnel, and everyone involved in getting both men safely out of the water.

Authorities have not yet announced what caused the aircraft to lose power during its approach to Wausau.

The reported mechanical failure remains under investigation as Tiffany and the pilot recover from an ordeal that could have ended far differently.

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