Wisconsin congressman swims to safety after plane makes emergency landing in lake
A sitting congressman and gubernatorial nominee swam to shore after his plane lost power and went down in a Wisconsin lake — and both he and the pilot walked away with minor injuries.
Written by Roundtablefrom 2 outlets' reporting
01What happened
Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany said the plane he was in made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau on a Saturday night after losing power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner. He and the pilot called 911, exited the aircraft as it began to submerge, and swam to a shallow area where they waited for emergency responders, who reached them by boat. Both were taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries. Tiffany said he received stitches above his right eye and was released Saturday night. The FAA identified the plane as a Beechcraft K35. The FAA said the incident is under investigation. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office said the plane experienced a mechanical issue around 8:49 p.m. and that Tiffany and the pilot were rescued by a Wausau Fire Department airboat at 9:05 p.m.
The facts every outlet at this table agrees on.
02Every voice
One entry per outlet, in the order they should be read. Each links back to the reporting it was drawn from — check any of it.
cnn.com
Read the original· cnn.comHow they framed it
A detailed incident report focused on Tiffany's own account, official statements and the sequence of the rescue.
In their words
Tiffany said while returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner, in Onalaska, Wisconsin, the plane, identified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a Beechcraft K35, lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau, he said, and the two called 911. As the plane began to submerge, Tiffany and the pilot exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area where they waited for emergency responders. Tiffany was released from the hospital Saturday night after receiving stitches above his right eye. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office confirmed the plane experienced a mechanical issue around 8:49 p.m. while approaching the airport. Tiffany and the pilot were rescued by a Wausau Fire Department airboat at 9:05 p.m.
The Guardian
Read the original· theguardian.comHow they framed it
A brief wire-style account centred on the underwater escape, with Tiffany's political context noted.
In their words
A Republican congressman said he had to swim to safety after a plane he was traveling in made an emergency landing in a lake late Saturday. Representative Tom Tiffany says he was returning from the La Crosse county Lincoln Day Dinner when the light aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau downtown airport. The pilot made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau. They both ended up in the water and swam to safety. Emergency responders got both Tiffany and the pilot to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. Tiffany is running for governor on the Republican ticket in Wisconsin and has been endorsed by Donald Trump. The plane Tiffany was traveling in was a single-engine, four-seat Bonanza aircraft.
03Where they differ
The Guardian says Tiffany was travelling in a single-engine, four-seat Bonanza aircraft, while CNN identifies it as a Beechcraft K35; CNN also reports the FAA's involvement and the investigation, which The Guardian does not mention. CNN describes Tiffany's injuries in detail, including stitches above his right eye, while The Guardian says only that he was treated for minor injuries. The Guardian notes Tiffany was running for governor and had been endorsed by Donald Trump; CNN refers to him as a Republican gubernatorial nominee and, in partial text, as a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, without mentioning the endorsement. CNN includes the sheriff's dispatch timing and confirming statements; The Guardian does not. Both agree Tiffany and the pilot escaped the plane and reached shore.
Described, not adjudicated. Roundtable does not tell you which account is right.
04Still open
- What mechanical issue caused the plane to lose power?
- What is the exact model of the aircraft — a Beechcraft K35 or a Bonanza?
- What did the FAA and other agencies find in their investigations?
- What was the extent of Tiffany's and the pilot's injuries beyond those described?
- Why was the congressman travelling on this aircraft and who owned it?