A tense search began on a dimly lit Wisconsin lake after Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany’s powerless plane crashed and disappeared beneath the surface. Rescuers were initially uncertain about the locations of Tiffany and his pilot.
Emergency dispatch audio illustrated the urgency among responders as they called for additional ambulances, engines, and boats to aid in locating the two men, using the last GPS signal from a phone believed to be submerged.
“We’re going to be in search for a down plane,” cautioned one responder.
Hours later, after being treated at the hospital, Tiffany recounted how pilot Leonard “Len” Boltz only had moments to react when their aircraft lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. He recalled Boltz urging him to tighten his seatbelt just before the crash. “And that’s exactly what I did,” Tiffany said, tightening his seatbelt as instructed.
With striking clarity, he detailed the moments that followed: “It was probably about 10 seconds later… We hit the water.” The impact caused him to collide with the dashboard, leaving a wound above his eye that needed twelve stitches, while Boltz received four stitches for an injury of his own.
After ensuring each other was okay, the two men escaped through the passenger-side door, with water rapidly flooding the aircraft. Tiffany searched for his phone in vain, while Boltz managed to call 911 using his.
As they clambered onto the slowly sinking plane, they waited for about ten minutes, spotting the lights of emergency responders approaching. Eventually, they decided to swim towards the airport, making progress before Tiffany found a shallow area in the lake.
“I said to Len, ‘Let’s just stay right here until help can come,’ because we could see the sirens,” Tiffany remembered, his voice wavering at the gravity of the situation. “We’re just really fortunate. We’re really fortunate that God was looking after us last night.”
The audio from dispatch revealed the challenges faced by first responders who were racing to various locations along Lake Wausau. They had limited information about where the plane went down but were employing thermal imaging and GPS data to guide their search.
The situation escalated when responders communicated that the witnesses saw the crash but could only narrow the search area. One remark indicated they might be swimming towards shore after losing contact. Fortunately, the search concluded successfully as both men were eventually found.
“We have two victims in the water,” a responder announced, with news that both individuals were “alert, conscious,” and accounted for.
Tiffany commended Boltz for his skill in landing the plane without catastrophic outcomes, explaining how the pilot’s quick thinking, including raising the landing gear, likely prevented a tumbling crash. Tiffany characterized the landing impact as akin to that of a fast-moving car crash, expressing relief that the plane didn’t turn over.
Wausau Mayor Doug Diny, also a former military pilot, echoed praise for Boltz’s nighttime landing effort. Following treatment at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, both men were released without serious injuries, although doctors advised Tiffany to monitor his health for potential concussion symptoms and to refrain from flying for a few days.
Yet, undeterred by the incident, Tiffany remained resolute about continuing his gubernatorial campaign. “This will not deter me in my efforts that I started a year ago to become the next governor of the state of Wisconsin,” he asserted. Tiffany’s plane, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, continues to be submerged as the Federal Aviation Administration investigates the cause of the power loss.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed gratitude for the positive outcome of the accident, stating how relieved he was that both Tiffany and Boltz escaped unharmed. Meanwhile, Tiffany’s challenger, Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, also recognized Boltz’s actions during the incident.
