A devastating 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, consisting of Roger Beggs, 76, Laura VanEpps, 43, Ryan VanEpps, 42, James R. VanEpps, 12, and Harrison VanEpps, 10, were on board a single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage plane that departed from Oneonta Municipal Airport. The aircraft crashed in Masonville, New York, approximately 90 miles southeast of Syracuse.
The family had been returning to Georgia after spending time in Cooperstown, New York, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Local police launched an extensive search effort after receiving a notification of a suspected crash, locating the downed plane and crash site. Roger Beggs, the pilot, had planned a stop to refuel in West Virginia before continuing to Atlanta.
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
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp offered his condolences, praying for the loved ones of the Beggs and VanEpps families. Ryan VanEpps’ sister, Ansley, also shared her grief and sorrow. The Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and state police are investigating the cause of the crash. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the VanEpps family and friends during this tragic time.
