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, approximately 90 miles southeast of Syracuse, per 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, known for hosting the baseball tournament and being home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Local police reported receiving a notification of a suspected crash around 2 p.m. on Sunday. They initiated a search in the Lake Cecil Road area using helicopters, drones, and ATVs. The crash site and the downed plane were subsequently located after this extensive search effort.
According to reports, Roger Beggs was the pilot of the plane. The flight plan indicated a stop to refuel in West Virginia before continuing on to Atlanta, according to People.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his condolences on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, July 1. “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,” he wrote.
In addition, 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.