Veteran Maine game warden dies in Franklin County plane crash
Lewiston Sun Journal • • nation
Key Points:
- Joshua Tibbetts, a 50-year-old pilot with the Maine Warden Service, died in a plane crash near Avon, Maine, while on a routine fish stocking mission; he was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
- Emergency responders confirmed Tibbetts' death at the scene, and investigations are underway by the Maine Department of Public Safety, FAA, and NTSB, with no immediate signs of mechanical failure or medical issues causing the crash.
- Tibbetts had been with the Warden Service since 2008, promoted to pilot in November 2023, and was based in Eagle Lake; his death marks a rare fatality in the agency’s aviation history.
- Officials, including Governor Janet Mills and Maine State Police, expressed condolences and highlighted the inherent dangers faced by wardens, emphasizing Tibbetts' commitment and the impact of the tragedy on the community.
- The Maine Warden Service operates three full-time pilots who support law enforcement in remote areas, with the last fatal warden pilot crash occurring in 2011.