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Six people, including four members of a single family on vacation, were killed when a small, twin-engine Cessna 441 turboprop aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Ohio on Sunday morning. There were no survivors in the incident, which occurred in a heavily wooded area, making access difficult for emergency responders.
The victims were identified by Trumbull County Coroner Lawrence D'Amico as the pilot, Joseph Maxin, 63, of Canfield; co-pilot Timothy Blake, 55, of Hubbard; and passengers Veronica Weller, 68, her husband, James Weller, 67, their son, John Weller, 36, and his wife, Maria Weller, 34, all from Hubbard. The Weller family, who own steel manufacturing plants in the Youngstown-Warren area, were en route to Montana for a vacation.
Joseph Maxin was also the director of compliance for the Western Reserve Port Authority, which owns the airport, and a former assistant prosecutor. The Port Authority released a statement honoring him as a "selfless public servant and pilot." Michael Hillman, president of JETS FBO Network, praised both pilots and the family, expressing profound sadness.
Howland Township Fire Chief Raymond Pace noted that while the crash was tragic, it could have been worse as three houses were located near the impact site.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the crash and have not yet offered any speculation. They are asking anyone with surveillance video or other relevant information to contact them.
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