5 members of Ga. family die as plane crashes in New York

ATLANTA, Ga. - Five members of a Georgia family who were visiting upstate New York for a baseball tournament died when their small plane crashed, authorities said Monday.

Publish Date: Monday 1st July 2024
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ATLANTA, Ga. - Five members of a Georgia family who were visiting upstate New York for a baseball tournament died when their small plane crashed, authorities said Monday.

The single-engine Piper PA-46 crashed around 2 p.m. Sunday after taking off from Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta, N.Y.

The wreckage and the remains of the five people on board were found Sunday night in the town of Masonville, according to New York State Police.

The victims were identified as Roger Beggs, 76, his daughter Laura Van Epps, 43, her husband Ryan Van Epps, 42 and their two children James Van Epps, 12 and Harrison Van Epps, 10.

The plane was headed to Cobb County International Airport in Georgia with a fueling stop in West Virginia.

“We were neighbors. We would see each other every day and we’d always say hi to the boys and they would come over sometimes. They just lived across the street, and we would always wave and say hi and they were lovely,” neighbor Caroline Slayton said. “We’re all just devastated. They were the kindest family and the sweetest people.”

Family members are now mourning their loss and said they are heartbroken over the devastating news.

“As we grapple with this unimaginable loss, let us come together to remember and celebrate the beautiful lives they lived. Their kindness, laughter, and love will forever be etched in our hearts,” a family member said in a prepared statement.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement offering prayers to the families.

“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,” Kemp wrote. “We offer our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them.”

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

December 22, 2024

Story attribution: The Associated Press

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