Family returning from baseball tournament dies in tragic crash
A tragic plane crash on June 30 took the lives of a family of five traveling back from a youth baseball tournament in upstate New York.
The family was flying in a small plane, a single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage, which took off from Oneonta Municipal Airport. Sadly, it crashed in Masonville, New York, about 90 miles southeast of Syracuse.
The victims were identified as Roger Beggs, 76; Laura VanEpps, 43; Ryan VanEpps, 42; James R. VanEpps, 12; and Harrison VanEpps, 10. They had been in Cooperstown, New York, a town famous for its baseball tournament and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Local police received a call about a possible plane crash around 2 p.m. on Sunday. They quickly launched a search operation using helicopters, drones, and ATVs. After a thorough search, they found the crash site.
Roger Beggs, the pilot, had planned to stop for fuel in West Virginia before heading to Atlanta, as reported by People.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed his condolences on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “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.”
Ryan VanEpps’ sister, Ansley, also shared her sorrow over losing her family members.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and state police are working together to investigate the cause of the crash.
Our hearts go out to the VanEpps’ family and friends during this difficult time.
