Plane recovered from Lake Wausau after Tiffany's emergency landing
WAUSAU, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Crews spent Monday morning, Sept. 14, working to pull a small plane from Lake Wausau, two days after it made an emergency water landing carrying U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor.
Crews say they used inflatable lifting bags to bring the aircraft to the surface before pulling it to shore. Part of the plane was visible breaking the water's surface Monday as divers and boats worked around it.
"This pilot had to make split second decisions and land on water in Wausau, but at night in the dark," said Airport Manager John Chmiel, with Wausau Downtown Airport. "When you're landing on water, it's like landing in a black hole. For this airplane to land on the water, remain upright so everybody could get out, the pilot did an excellent job. It's a miracle on Lake Wausau."
CBS 58 obtained video from an onshore camera showing the small aircraft hit the water.
Tiffany spoke to reporters Sunday, Sept. 13, with 12 stitches above his right eyebrow. He said he plans to resume campaigning Monday but will not be able to fly for a few days. The pilot, identified by the Marathon County Sheriff's Office as 73-year-old Leonard Boltz of Pearson, was also treated and released.
Tom Tiffany
Gov. Tony Evers told reporters on Monday he plans to reach out to the congressman regarding the emergency landing.
“Being in a plane crash is not something you want to look forward to,” Evers said. “I know he hit his head against the dashboard, he’s doing well and he's out and about and he’s back on the campaign trail. I hope to give him a call, I haven’t had the chance, and I know he’s a little busy too, but yeah, what a mess. It’s a surprise and we’re very happy that it had a reasonable outcome.”
“I have not spoken to him. I did leave him a message letting him know I was thinking of him,” Crowley said. ”I think that at the end of the day we may be political opponents, but we are still human. And I still look at him as a neighbor, and I wanted to make sure that him and his family and that pilot is doing ok. But I also commend the pilot for their heroic actions and having that emergency landing within the lake but also to our first responders for responding quickly.”
The FAA is investigating what caused the plane to lose power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport on Saturday night.