Six Killed in Northeast Ohio Plane Crash Just Minutes After Takeoff

Six people were killed early Sunday morning when a twin-engine Cessna 441 aircraft crashed just seven minutes after taking off from Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in northeast Ohio. The deadly crash occurred around 7 a.m. in a wooded area of Howland Township, according to officials.

Authorities confirmed that all four passengers and two crew members onboard were killed. The victims have been identified as Veronica Weller, 68; James Weller, 67; John Weller, 36; and Maria Weller, 34. The pilot, Joseph Maxin, 63, and co-pilot, Timothy Blake, 55, also perished in the crash.

N441LS, Cessna 441 Conquest. A Cessna Conquest crashed shortly after takeoff from Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, killing all six occupants.

Emergency dispatchers received multiple 911 calls reporting the incident. One caller described hearing a “huge crash,” while another said a plane flying overhead sounded “odd” moments before a loud bang and a plume of smoke appeared. A third caller reported hearing trees cracking under the force of the impact.

Howland Fire Chief Ray Pace said rescue efforts were hampered by the remote, heavily wooded location of the crash site. Fire crews and personnel from Youngstown Air Reserve Station faced “difficult access” as they attempted to reach the wreckage.

A fire from a plane that crashed minutes after taking off

Local resident Joe Nuskievicz, who lives near the airport, described hearing the violent crash. “I could hear trees cracking, heavy impact. I knew that it crashed, but I couldn’t see it. I told my wife, ‘We need to go drive down the road real quick and see if we can find any survivors.’ It was scary,” he said.

The flight, according to tracking data, was headed to Bozeman, Montana. The plane belonged to JETS FBO Network, a private aviation company.

First responders at the scene of the plane crash

Western Reserve Port Authority Executive Director Anthony Trevena expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a “significant loss to the local aviation community.” He added, “These were really wonderful people. Our community is heartbroken, and the aviation world has lost six incredible individuals.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash.