A tragic plane crash on June 30 took the lives of a family of five who had traveled to upstate New York for a youth baseball tournament.
The family was aboard a single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage plane that departed from Oneonta Municipal Airport in central New York. The aircraft crashed in Masonville, New York, about 90 miles southeast of Syracuse, according to CNN.
The victims of this heartbreaking incident were identified as Roger Beggs, 76; Laura VanEpps, 43; Ryan VanEpps, 42; James R. VanEpps, 12; and Harrison VanEpps, 10.
The family had been returning to Georgia after spending time in Cooperstown, New York, which is known for hosting the baseball tournament and being home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Local police received a notification of a suspected crash around 2 p.m. on Sunday. They launched a search in the Lake Cecil Road area using helicopters, drones, and ATVs. After an extensive search effort, they located the crash site and the downed plane.
Roger Beggs was reportedly the pilot of the plane. The flight plan indicated a stop to refuel in West Virginia before continuing to Atlanta, according to People.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his condolences on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, July 1. He wrote, “As we learn of this tragic news, please join Marty, the girls, and me in praying for the loved ones of the Beggs and VanEpps families. We offer our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them.”
As we learn of this tragic news, please join Marty, the girls, and me in praying for the loved ones of the Beggs and VanEpps families. We offer our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them. https://t.co/HZU0YzDg1x
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 1, 2024
Ryan VanEpps’ sister, Ansley, shared her sorrow and grief over the loss of her family members.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and state police are collaborating on an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the VanEpps’ family and friends at this tragic time.
