Maine Game Warden Pilot Dies in Cessna 185 Crash Near Avon

AVON, Maine — A Maine game warden was killed Tuesday morning, May 12, 2026, when his patrol aircraft crashed in wooded terrain near Schoolhouse Pond, officials said.

The aircraft, a Cessna A185F Skywagon with registration N61368, was operated by the Maine Warden Service under the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. State officials identified the sole occupant as Game Warden Pilot Joshua Tibbetts, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash occurred around 11 a.m. local time. An automatic emergency signal from the aircraft alerted dispatchers, allowing the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and emergency crews to locate the wreckage. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the accident.

The Cessna 185 series is a high-wing, tailwheel utility aircraft frequently used by government agencies for backcountry patrol, wildlife enforcement and search-and-rescue operations. The aircraft was reported destroyed in the collision.