Overview
- A Maine Warden Service Cessna piloted by Joshua Tibbetts crashed near Schoolhouse Pond in Avon on May 12 and Tibbetts, 50, died at the scene.
- Gov. Janet Mills ordered U.S. and state flags lowered statewide for Thursday to coincide with memorials for Tibbetts and former state representative Gerald Talbot.
- A celebration of life for Tibbetts took place at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor with a law enforcement procession and traditional honors including Taps, a firing salute, a flag folding and an aircraft flyover.
- Tibbetts served with the Maine Warden Service since 2008, was promoted to game warden pilot in November 2023, and is survived by his partner, two daughters and his parents including a father who also served with the Warden Service.
- Federal and state investigators have opened an active inquiry into the crash and face challenges such as low-altitude operations, remote terrain and the lack of flight data recorders in small warden aircraft.