Mon Jun 30 21:30:00 UTC 2025: **Tragic Plane Crash in Ohio Claims Six Lives**
**Youngstown, Ohio – July 1, 2025 (3:00 AM IST)** – A devastating plane crash near Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Ohio on Sunday morning claimed the lives of all six people on board. The twin-engine Cessna 441 turboprop, registered to Meander Air LLC, crashed shortly after takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Authorities have identified the victims as pilot Joseph Maxin, 63, co-pilot Timothy Blake, 55, and passengers Veronica Weller, 68, her husband, James Weller, 67, their son, John Weller, 36, and his wife, Maria Weller, 34. The Weller family, who owned steel manufacturing plants in the Youngstown-Warren area, were en route to a vacation in Montana.
Joseph Maxin, the pilot, was also the director of compliance for the Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns the airport. The authority mourned Maxin as a “selfless public servant.”
The crash site, located in a heavily wooded area, presented challenges for first responders. Fortunately, despite the close proximity to residential areas, no homes were impacted.
Flight tracking data indicates the plane’s intended destination was Bozeman, Montana. Michael Hillman, president of aviation company JETS FBO Network, expressed deep sorrow, calling the victims “the best of the best.”
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the crash.
First Piper 