Congressman’s Plane Crashes – What Went Wrong?

A single-engine plane lost power on final approach, hit Lake Wausau, and two men swam away alive.

Story Snapshot

Rep. Tom Tiffany and pilot Leonard Boltz ditched into Lake Wausau after engine power fell off on final approach.
Dispatchers reported two people in the water; fire crews pulled them out minutes later.
Tiffany says the pilot warned, “We are going down,” before they exited and swam to shore.
Stitches for both men, no life-threatening injuries; federal agencies opened an inquiry.

Power Loss, Immediate Decision, Cold Water

Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany says the Beechcraft Bonanza lost power on final approach Saturday night. Pilot Leonard Boltz raised the landing gear and aimed for Lake Wausau. Tiffany recalls Boltz saying, “We are going down. Pull your seatbelt tight.” The plane hit the water and began to sink. Both men unlatched, got out, and started swimming toward lights on shore. The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office and Wausau Fire Department took the call soon after impact.

Marathon County dispatch audio captured the tempo of the rescue. A responder radioed, “We have two victims in the water,” followed by, “just pulling them out now.” Local reports place the rescue within minutes of the first call, with a fire department boat reaching the men as the aircraft slipped under the surface. The quick find mattered; a night water landing turns disorientation into a second threat after the crash itself.

Injuries, Gratitude, And A Clear Chain Of Help

Medical staff treated Tiffany for a cut above his right eye that required 12 stitches. Boltz received four stitches. Doctors ran a scan on Tiffany and did not find a concussion. Tiffany publicly thanked the fire crews, deputies, and medical team by name and praised Boltz’s judgment under pressure. The scene involved the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau police and fire, and later the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board notifications.

Tiffany’s account has stayed simple and direct. Power fell off in the descent. The pilot warned him. They braced, exited fast, and swam. He has called it a blessing to be alive and credited training and calm actions. That tone fits the facts on the ground. Rescue audio, local timelines, and hospital details form a tight arc: loss of power, controlled ditching, swift search, quick medical checks, and a walk out of the hospital the same night.

Why A Smooth Ditching Saves Lives

Small airplanes rarely pick a lake unless the pilot believes the surface will forgive the impact more than trees or buildings. Raising the landing gear in a water landing can stop the wheels from grabbing and flipping the plane. Pilots train for power-off glides to a reachable point. They look for a flat path, keep wings level, and avoid a stall near the water. Those choices shorten impact forces and create seconds to open the door, orient, and escape with a life jacket or seat cushion.

Tom Tiffany tearfully recounts making an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau Saturday night https://t.co/A3Sq29Flb5

— WBAY-TV 2 (@WBAY) September 14, 2026

Federal procedures now take over. The Federal Aviation Administration logs the incident and begins fact-gathering. The National Transportation Safety Board issues a preliminary report in about a month and often takes a year or more to publish a probable cause in general aviation cases. That timeline explains why a human survival story hits first, while mechanical answers come later after inspection of the airframe, engine, fuel, and maintenance history.

A Straightforward Story That Respects Risk

Readers should take two things from this event. First, skill and calm matter. A trained pilot kept control with no power and aimed for the softest landing spot within reach. That choice gave both men a fighting chance. Second, first responders delivered on speed and coordination. A water rescue in the dark is hard. They still found two heads in a black lake and hauled them aboard. That is what a community should expect, and fund, every time.