Roger Beggs,Laura VanEpps Obituary, Death; – Five individuals, including two minors, died in a small plane crash in Delaware County on Sunday afternoon, as reported by the New York State Police.
The single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage was en route from Oneonta, Otsego County, to Charleston, West Virginia when it crashed near Lake Cecil Road in Masonville. The National Transportation Safety Board stated that the cause of the crash is currently unknown.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the plane took off from Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta with five people on board. The aircraft was scheduled to stop in Charleston for refueling before heading to Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
New York State Police verified that all five passengers, who were family members from Georgia, were killed in the crash. They were in Cooperstown for a baseball tournament. The victims were identified as Roger Beggs, Laura VanEpps, Ryan VanEpps, James R. VanEpps, and Harrison VanEpps.
An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive at the crash site on Monday to begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the wreckage. Masonville is located approximately 36 miles east of Binghamton.
The wreckage of the aircraft will be transported to a secure facility for further evaluation, according to the NTSB. Investigators will focus on three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment, including weather conditions. The National Weather Service reported that storms passed through Delaware County on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, a microburst with 90mph winds caused damage in Delaware County, resulting in the death of a woman at a campground. Investigators will also examine flight track data, aircraft maintenance records, and conduct a 72-hour background check of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have impacted the flight.
