Game warden dies after Maine Warden Service plane crashes in Franklin County
WGME • • nation
Key Points:
- Maine Game Warden Joshua Tibbetts, an 18-year veteran and licensed commercial pilot since 2020, died in a plane crash in Avon, Franklin County, while assisting with fish restocking efforts.
- The single-engine plane crashed around 11 a.m. in a wooded area near Schoolhouse Pond, with Tibbetts as the sole occupant; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
- There was no communication from Tibbetts before the crash, and investigators have not determined whether mechanical issues were involved; the plane's automatic crash signal alerted dispatch.
- The Maine State Police and the NTSB are conducting investigations into the cause of the crash, and the site remains secured.
- The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and local officials expressed deep sorrow over the loss, marking the 17th line-of-duty death for Maine wildlife officers.