Howland, Ohio — In a heartbreaking aviation tragedy, six people lost their lives on Sunday, June 29, 2025, when a Cessna 441 Conquest aircraft, tail number N441LS, crashed shortly after takeoff from Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. The aircraft was en route to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Montana when the fatal accident occurred.
The crash took place just minutes after the twin-engine turboprop aircraft departed the runway, at approximately 9:12 a.m. local time. According to initial reports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local authorities, the aircraft encountered an unknown issue shortly after takeoff and went down in a wooded area near Howland Township, approximately four miles northwest of the airport.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but despite their efforts, all six individuals on board were pronounced dead at the site. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims, pending notification of next of kin. The flight manifest indicates that the aircraft was carrying a mix of business travelers and aviation crew.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives today,” said Trumbull County Sheriff Paul Monroe during a press briefing. “We are working closely with federal investigators to determine what happened.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA have launched a joint investigation into the crash. Witnesses in the area reported hearing the plane struggling to gain altitude before a loud impact and a plume of smoke rose from the crash site.
Locals have begun laying flowers and messages of condolence at the edge of the restricted crash perimeter. The small aviation and business community in Youngstown has been left shaken by the sudden loss.
The flight was scheduled to travel across several states to Montana, a journey that would have taken approximately four hours under normal conditions. The Cessna 441 Conquest is a high-performance aircraft often used for corporate or private travel and is generally known for its reliability.
As investigators begin the painstaking process of piecing together the aircraft’s final moments, families now face the devastating aftermath of lives lost far too soon.
A routine flight turned tragic in a matter of minutes — six lives gone, and a community in mourning.