Crews Remove Tom Tiffany’s Plane From Water
An inspection awaits the downed aircraft.
A boat crew nears shore, as more of the aircraft starts to emerge from the lake. Avery Martinez/WPR
Amid cloudy weather and surging winds, recovery crews removed the downed plane that was carrying a candidate for governor from the waters of Lake Wausau.
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, is the GOP candidate for governor. He was flying between campaign stops on the night of Sept. 12, when the pilot told him there was engine trouble and they’d need to make an emergency landing on the water.
Both the pilot and Tiffany had minor injuries, and were quickly rescued by Wausau-area first responders.
Nearly two days later, the plane was still bobbing in the lake until a multi-step recovery process started on Sept. 14, involving divers, tow truck drivers and local aircraft experts.
Crews, including the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, connect boats to the waterlogged plane. They’re preparing to pull her across the lake, and back to dry land. Avery Martinez/WPR
A diver carefully navigates around still submerged parts of the plane. Avery Martinez/WPR
In a statement to WPR, the Federal Aviation Administration said local authorities were responsible for removing the aircraft.
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office and other local groups successfully removed the aircraft from the water on Monday afternoon.
The plane, at the left, had been in Lake Wausau since the emergency landing on Sept. 12. The plane was connected to boats and floatation devices. Avery Martinez/WPR
A side view of the airplane as it was being pulled to shore by recovery crews. Avery Martinez/WPR
Diving crews work the lines pulling the plane. Avery Martinez/WPR
A boat crew nears shore, as more of the aircraft starts to emerge from the lake. Avery Martinez/WPR
Wausau Fire Department Battalion Chief Kraig Kruzan, who assisted in Tiffany’s rescue, said the rescue mission was as close to a best-case scenario as you can get in this kind of emergency.
“Things could have been completely different,” he said of the water landing. “Another 150 feet, they could have hit land, which would have been a steep bank and not good.”
Kruzan said it’s rare for planes to go down on the water in the Wausau area, but the team regularly prepares for water rescues, deploying crews to multiple areas.
Over multiple hours, different experts worked to prep the aircraft for the removal from the lake — with the goal of taking it out in one piece, according to local airport officials.
The tail of the plane, covered in caution tape, sits by the shore of Lake Wausau — waiting to be hauled out by a crane. Avery Martinez/WPR
A diver emerges from the water, as they install cables around the wings, fuselage and tail for the crane. Avery Martinez/WPR
Members of the dive team and other recovery crews watch the plane as the straps are prepared for lifting the aircraft. Avery Martinez/WPR
Divers work with the lowering cables to connect the plane to the straps. Avery Martinez/WPR
A crane operator and diver work above and below sections of the submerged plane, ensuring the cables are secure. Avery Martinez/WPR
Tiffany credited the pilot for pulling up the landing gear before hitting the water, which he said likely kept the plane from cartwheeling and may have saved their lives.
When the plane was lifted out of the water, the landing gear and wheels were extended down.
As the light improves above the water, damage to the nose is visible, as the tires tip-toe in the waves. Avery Martinez/WPR
Now that the aircraft is out of the water, an FAA inspector will examine the plane, according to the FAA spokesperson.
“Investigations take months and sometimes longer to complete,” the agency said. The preliminary report is can be found here.
Finally back to dry land, the aircraft hangs in the air as crews work to move it toward the loading zone for the truck. Avery Martinez/WPR
The National Transportation Safety Board told WPR that the agency is awaiting an FAA examination of the plane, to determine if it meets the criteria for an NTSB investigation.
“Typically, the NTSB investigates aircraft accidents that result in substantial damage or serious injury,” the agency said in an email.
Members of the tow crew, which hauled the plane out on a tow truck, meet with water crews — as different experts take the lead. Avery Martinez/WPR
FAA to begin investigation as plane in Tom Tiffany crash removed from Lake Wausau was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
