Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany narrowly escaped a potentially deadly situation Saturday night after the small aircraft carrying him suddenly lost power and was forced to make an emergency landing in Lake Wausau.
Tiffany, 68, and the pilot were the only occupants aboard the four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza when the aircraft encountered serious trouble while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. Rather than risk a catastrophic landing on the ground, the pilot brought the plane down on the lake.
The aircraft ultimately began sinking after touching the water, forcing Tiffany and the pilot to get out quickly and swim toward a shallow section of the lake.
In a statement following the incident, Tiffany described the frightening moments that unfolded as he was returning from a campaign event in western Wisconsin.
