Jim Weller And Family Among 6 Killed In Ohio Plane Crash

4 family members, including the CEO of Union, N.J.-based Liberty Steel, were killed in an Ohio plane crash. In a devastating blow for the steel industry and a stinging loss for the local community, the Weland family, whose company, Liberty Steel Industries Inc., owns the plant, was rocked late Monday night when its CEO was among its four members killed in the crash. The family was on their way to Montana for vacation, according to the outlet, when the small plane crashed June 29 in Howland Township, Trumbull County.

The 67-year-old steel tycoon was accompanied by his wife, Veronica Weller, 68, their son, John Weller, 36, and John's partner, Maria Weller, 34. The family members and the pilot, Joseph Maxin, 63, and the co-pilot, Timothy Blake, 55, were killed in the crash. There were no survivors, officials said. The plane went down about seven minutes after it took off, plowing into the backyard of an isolated, wooded home about two miles west of the airport. Rescuers struggled early to access the crash site because of the thick wilderness, but were able to retrieve all six bodies. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

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It is one of the most catastrophic aviation tragedies to have occurred in the history of Howland Township, a statement that further highlights the tragedy. Local officials and residents have expressed shock and sadness as they try to come to terms with the sudden passing of one of the area's most notable business figures.

Weller, who helped put Liberty Steel Industries on the map as a national household name, was a giant in the world of manufacturing, as well as a devoted family man and philanthropist. Veronica, his wife, was an active supporter of several community causes, and their son, John, was anticipated to one day lead the family-run company into its next chapter.

The loss creates an enormous chasm not just in terms of Liberty Steel leadership, but also for many who knew the Weller family personally and through their business life. Tributes are already coming in from industry executives, workers, and Ohio residents. Even as the low-flying aircraft's sudden and fatal end is investigated to understand what went wrong, a region prays for a family whose heritage extended well beyond the steel mills they built.