Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany survived an emergency landing Saturday night.
Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin Governor, was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska when the aircraft experienced trouble during its approach to Wausau. The pilot warned Tiffany that the plane was going down and instructed him to tighten his seat belt shortly before the aircraft hit the water.
The pilot was identified as Leanard Boltz, a 73-year-old from Pearson, Wisconsin. The aircraft only had Boltz as the pilot, and Tiffany on board as the only passenger. The Beechcraft K35 Bonanza suffered a mechanical problem and lost power while approaching the airport. Boltz attempted the emergency water landing in Lake Wausau rather than trying to reach the airport. (RELATED:Josh Jacobs Remains on NFL Exempt List After No Contest Plea)
During a press conference on Sunday, Tiffany described how quickly the situation happened. He said Boltz attempted to restart the aircraft before telling Tiffany to prepare for impact. Tiffany said all the events unfolded in about ten seconds.
After the landing, the two men initially climbed onto the aircraft before swimming to a shallower area closer to shore. Tiffany said they traveled about 150 feet through the water before finding the sand bar where they were able to wait for first responders. The emergency dispatchers received the report of the incident at around 8:49 on Saturday night.
The Wausau Fire Department deployed an airboat and other rescue apparatus, reaching Tiffany and Boltz around 9:05 pm. Tiffany suffered a cut near his right eyebrow after his head struck the dashboard during the landing. He said his injury required 12 stitches when they reached Aspirus Hospital in Wausau. Boltz also suffered minor injuries, and both men were released on Saturday night.
Tiffany repeatedly credited the pilot and first responders with preventing what could have been a deadly incident. In particular, Tiffany pointed out that Boltz retracted the landing gear before making contact with the water, preventing it from flipping over. The Wausau Downtown Airport manager also commended Boltz’s actions, saying he chose the appropriate plan of action to get the plane down as safely as possible. (RELATED:New Report Challenges Wisconsin’s “Brain Drain” Narrative)
Tiffany is scheduled to be in Fond Du Lac this Thursday at the Pioneer Keg. Tiffany is running the Dodge County Tavern Talk, where he will go from the Pioneer Keg to Sunset On The Water. There is no word on whether those events will be canceled, moved, or adjusted.
