A Maine Warden Service pilot died Tuesday in a plane crash near Schoolhouse Pond in Avon, becoming the 16th game warden to die in the line of duty in the agency’s 146-year history, according to Mark Latti, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Joshua Tibbetts was alone in the plane at the time of the crash. Emergency crews confirmed Tibbetts’ death upon arriving at the scene, and his remains have been transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, Latti said.

He was working with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife crews to stock fish in western Maine’s waterways — a routine mission, Maine Warden Service Col. Dan Scott said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Tibbetts, 50, was promoted to pilot in November 2023 and was stationed out of Eagle Lake, according to a Facebook post from the department. He had been with the warden service since 2008, and later earned his commercial pilot certificate. He was the fourth warden service pilot to die in the line of duty, Latti said.

Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies and personnel from Franklin County Emergency Services responded to the crash, which happened around 11 a.m.

Tibbetts took off from the Dry Pond Seaplane Base on Crystal Lake in Gray in a 1980 Cessna 185 Skywagon on Tuesday morning and flew north to Rangeley Lake, according to ADS-B Exchange, a flight tracking website. He then flew southeast and performed a small loop near Stubbs Mountain in Avon before crashing, according to the flight tracker.

He did not appear to send a distress signal before the crash, Scott said. The plane sent an automated distress message to the Maine State Police upon impact, which prompted emergency response to the scene.

Scott said there was no immediate indication that the crash was caused by either a mechanical failure or medical event.

A second warden’s service plane and a Maine Forest Service helicopter flew above the area after the crash to investigate the scene before emergency crews could arrive by road, Scott said.

The Maine Department of Public Safety is handling the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will also investigate, and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will assist them in their investigation, Scott said.

Responders were told to stand by around 11:45 a.m. and at about noon all responding units were told to stand down. Shortly after, several game wardens arrived at the scene.

Tammy Baker-Paradis, of Strong, said she witnessed the plane going down over Route 4. She said the plane was teetering in the wind and was seen flying just above the tree line before disappearing over a hill. She stopped in the Strong town office for a few minutes, and by the time she left the law enforcement response in the area was overwhelming, she said.

“By the time we turned around to come back into town, emergency vehicles started flying down the road,” Baker-Paradis said. “I just kept seeing them, just one right after another.”

According to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website, there are three full-time warden pilots who operate through the department’s aviation division to enforce laws in remote and otherwise inaccessible areas of the state. These pilots detect activity and pass information off to district wardens.

The last time a warden service plane crashed was in 2017, when a plane broke through ice while attempting an emergency landing on Eagle Lake. The last death was in 2011, when pilot Daryl Gordon died at Clear Lake, 120 miles north of Bangor.

Gordon was the 15th game warden — and the third pilot — to die in the line of duty since the Maine Warden Service was formed in 1880. The last warden pilot death prior to Gordon was in 1972.

Acting Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Tim Peabody, a retired colonel with the warden’s service, said Tibbetts’ death was a reminder of the danger wardens face daily.

“That is never more evident than today,” Peabody said in the news conference.

Individuals and agencies were quick to respond to the incident online. Maine State Police released a statement on Facebook offering their sympathy to those affected.

“Our thoughts are with our partners at the Maine Warden Service as they mourn the loss of one of their own following a plane crash today. We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and fellow Game Wardens during this incredibly difficult time.”

Gov. Janet Mills said during the news conference that she had been briefed on the crash and expressed “profound sadness” for Tibbetts’ loved ones, especially on the day of the state’s annual Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service, which was held in Augusta earlier in the day.

“My heart is with the warden’s family and loved ones, their colleagues at the Maine Warden Service, and all affected by this tragedy,” Mills said in an online statement.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement offering support to the Maine Warden Service members, a frequent partner of county law enforcement.

“Incidents like this are a solemn reminder of the risks faced every day by those who serve the people of Maine — often under challenging and dangerous conditions, and frequently far from public view,” the statement said. “The Maine Warden Service has long been a trusted partner and an organization made up of dedicated professionals who serve with courage, skill, and commitment. Today, we stand beside them in grief and support.”

Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton paid tribute to Tibbetts, a former Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office deputy, in a social media post late Tuesday afternoon.

“During a day and week when law enforcement agencies across the nation come together to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, our hearts are heavy with the tragic news from the Maine Warden Service,” Morton said. “Today, we mourn alongside his family, friends, fellow Wardens, and brothers and sisters in law enforcement.

“We are reminded once again of the risks carried by those who choose a life of service and sacrifice.”

Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this story.