05/13/2026
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is heartbroken to share that Game Warden Pilot Joshua Tibbetts died this morning in a plane crash in Avon, ME.
Game Warden Pilot Tibbetts served the people of Maine as a Maine Game Warden for 18 years, including the last three years as a pilot for Maine Warden Service. In that role, his specialized aviation work supported search and rescue, law enforcement, fisheries and wildlife conservation, and public safety across the state.
This is an incredibly difficult loss for his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Maine Warden Service. We ask the public to keep his loved ones, his fellow Game Wardens, and all those affected by this tragedy in their thoughts in the days ahead.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing. The Department will cooperate fully with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
We are grateful for the emergency personnel who responded to the scene and for the support already being shown to the Maine Warden Service family.
