The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on Oct. 14 on the small plane that crash-landed in Lake Wausau last month.
The flight was traveling from La Crosse to Wausau on the night of Sept. 12, carrying U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and pilot Leonard Boltz. After the plane lost power, both men got out and swam to a nearby sandbar, where they were rescued.
According to the report, the pilot noticed higher-than-normal engine exhaust gas temperature on approach to Wausau Downtown Airport, which prompted a check of the fuel tanks.
The pilot switched to the right tank and pushed the mixture and throttle forward, but the engine did not respond. The report says the pilot did not activate the electric fuel boost pump while trying to restore power.
Investigators listed the cause as a loss of power tied to the delayed tank switch and the boost pump not being turned on to move fuel to the engine.
Tiffany's campaign thanked the pilot for staying composed during the emergency and helping ensure both men survived.
