Pilot error was the reason for Tiffany plane crash, according to preliminary report

A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report released on Oct. 13 found that an error by pilot Leonard Boltz was the cause of the plane crash with Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany.

Last month, Tiffany was flying with Boltz from La Crosse to Wausau when Boltz’s plane suffered what was subsequently described as a “mechanical failure.” Boltz crash landed the plane into Lake Wausau and the pair swam to a shallow area where they were rescued. Both sustained minor injuries. 

Tiffany, who had taken at least 12 flights with Boltz over the course of his campaign, praised Boltz during a press conference the day after the crash.

“It took some real expertise to be able to land that plane as he did,” Tiffany said.

The investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board remains ongoing, but the preliminary report stated Boltz told his aviation mechanic after the crash that the loss of engine power was due to his delay in switching fuel tanks and not turning on the electric fuel boost pump.

According to the report, Boltz had flown throughout the day, first flying from Langlade County, where he chairs a local Republican party, with a full load of 70 gallons of fuel. While flying from La Crosse to Wausau and preparing to land, the report states that Boltz “observed a higher-than-normal engine exhaust gas temperature.”

According to the report, Boltz did not refuel the airplane at La Crosse before the flight departed for Wausau, and he stated that he had selected the left main fuel tank for both flight legs except for when he briefly selected the auxiliary tanks while in cruise flight before switching back to the left tank.

The report states that all the fuel tank caps were found secure in a postaccident examination. The left main tank had no fuel while the right main tank and both auxiliary tanks were full of fuel.

The report states that the Beech K35 plane was “substantially damaged” in the crash into Lake Wausau.