# A congressman swam out of a sinking plane

> Rep. Tom Tiffany's single-engine plane lost power near Wausau and ended up in a lake. He and the pilot swam for it.
- Title: A congressman swam out of a sinking plane · NPR | Shortify
- Summary: Rep. Tom Tiffany's single-engine plane lost power near Wausau and ended up in a lake. He and the pilot swam for it. Both men got out of a submerging plane…
- Keywords: plane crash, wisconsin, tom tiffany, aviation safety, ntsb, news, congressman, swam, sinking, plane, NPR
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/13/nx-s1-5968081/wisconsin-congressman-survives-emergency-plane-landing-swims-to-safety
- Published: 2026-09-13T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: plane crash, wisconsin, tom tiffany, aviation safety, ntsb, news
## A landing in a lake
Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Wisconsin Republican, was on a small single-engine plane Saturday evening when it lost power approaching Wausau Downtown Airport.
## The pilot put it down on water
Pilot Leonard Boltz brought the aircraft down on Lake Wausau rather than trying to reach the runway, according to the Marathon County Sheriff's Office.
## Out before it sank
Tiffany said the two climbed out as the plane went under and swam to a shallow patch, where they stood and waited for help.

> As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area
## A 911 call from the wing
One of the occupants phoned 911 while the pair were still on top of the plane, a sheriff's lieutenant told Wisconsin Public Radio.

> They were able to exit the plane and made the call while they were basically standing on top of the plane
## Twenty minutes in the water
That is how long Tiffany and Boltz waited before responders located them and reached them by boat.
## Stitches, then an investigation
Tiffany got stitches above his right eye and was released; Boltz was treated for minor injuries. The FAA and NTSB are investigating what looks like mechanical failure.
## Key takeaway

Both men got out of a submerging plane alive because they exited fast and made it to shallow water, then waited 20 minutes for a boat.