Georgia family of five, including two children, killed in upstate NY plane crash

A Georgia family of five, including two children, on Sunday died in a small plane crash in a rural area of New York state, according to New York State Police.

They were in a single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage that crashed in a wooded area near Lake Cecil Road in Masonville (about 100 miles southwest of Albany) under unknown circumstances, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The Federal Aviation Administration reported the plane had departed from Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta and was slated to stop in Charleston, South Carolina to refuel before reaching its final destination at Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta.

New York State Police confirmed that all five occupants on board were killed when the plane crashed at about 2 p.m. The family was visiting Cooperstown for a baseball tournament. Troopers identified the victims as follows:

• Roger Beggs, 76
• Laura VanEpps, 43
• Ryan VanEpps, 42
• James VanEpps, 12
• Harrison VanEpps, 10

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he and his family are praying for the victims’ loved ones, offering their deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them.

An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive at the crash site Monday to start the process of documenting the scene and examining the wreckage. The aircraft’s wreckage will then be removed to a secure facility for further evaluation. Investigators will examine flight track data, aircraft maintenance records, a 72-hour background check of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have impacted the pilot’s ability to safety operate the plane and any available surveillance video.

A preliminary report for the accident will be available within the month. A final report including the probable cause takes one to two years to finish.