Celebration of Life for Maine Warden Killed in Avon Plane Crash

A Celebration of Life for Maine Game Warden Joshua Tibbetts

A Celebration of Life for Maine Game Warden Joshua Tibbetts is set to take place on Thursday, May 21 at 1 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The event was announced by the Maine Warden Service on Friday, with additional details expected to be shared in the coming days.

Tibbetts, who was 50 years old, was a Game Warden pilot who lost his life in a plane crash in Avon on Tuesday near Schoolhouse Pond. The incident has left the community and the entire state in mourning. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) released a statement expressing their deep sorrow, saying, "This is a devastating loss for the Maine Warden Service, our Department, and the people of Maine. Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones, colleagues, and all those impacted by this tragedy."

Governor Janet Mills also expressed her profound sadness for Tibbetts' loved ones, stating, "I want to express my profound sadness for Warden Tibbetts' loved ones who got that call today, a call no family should ever have to receive. I ask all Maine people to hold the Warden Service in our hearts, as we all grieve the loss of their colleague, and to express our deepest condolences to Warden Tibbetts' family and friends who are enduring an unimaginable sorrow — and to recognize the risks that law enforcement officers take when they show up to work each day to protect public safety and to keep this state the best place in the nation, the safest place in the nation, to live, work and raise a family."

Details About the Crash and Incident Response

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane involved in the crash was a Cessna 185F. Tibbetts was the only person on board at the time of the crash. According to officials, Maine Warden Service pilots typically fly alone, and Tibbetts was working with the Bureau of Fisheries to stock fish in the western part of the state.

A witness reported to Maine's Total Coverage reporter Jackie Mundry that the winds in the area were extremely strong during the crash. "You definitely could feel the wind and you could see the trees were bending," the witness said. "It definitely looked like it was fighting against the wind and was not in very good control, because it was teetering back and forth and it was very, very low to the mountains."

Scott, a representative from the Warden Service, mentioned that the planes automatically send out a signal in the event of a crash. "That system did work and that's what notified the dispatch center," Scott said. Once the Warden Service was informed about the crash, two planes were immediately dispatched to locate the crash site. Maine Forest Service helicopters also joined the search efforts.

"There's no immediate roads nearby and so the best way to locate it was from the air," Scott explained. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA both confirmed they are investigating the plane crash, with the NTSB taking the lead.

What We Know About the Pilot

Tibbetts began his career with the Maine Warden Service in 2008 and was promoted to game warden pilot in November 2023, according to a past Facebook post from the DIFW. At the time of his promotion, the DIFW stated that Tibbetts would serve northern Maine and be based out of Eagle Lake. He had previously worked in the Downeast, Central, and Southern Maine districts.

In his role as a pilot, Tibbetts' specialized aviation work supported search and rescue, law enforcement, fisheries, wildlife conservation, and public safety across the state. Before becoming a game warden pilot, he was part of the Incident Management Team and the search planning and unmanned aerial vehicle program. He also served as a drug recognition expert, according to the DIFW.

Ongoing Investigations and Support

FAA investigators based in the Maine area were traveling to the crash site on Tuesday night, while NTSB investigators arrived in Maine on Wednesday morning. Tibbetts' body was removed from the crash site by helicopter, and his remains have been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta.

The community continues to come together to honor the life and service of Joshua Tibbetts. As the investigation into the cause of the crash continues, the focus remains on supporting his family and the broader Warden Service community.