Plane Crash IDs: 5 Killed Were Family Members Who Were In Cooperstown For Baseball Tournament

Five people killed in a small plane crash in New York have been identified as members of a family who were in the region for a baseball tournament in Cooperstown, the site of the sport's Hall of Fame and Museum.

Sidney, in Delaware County, is marked in red. It's located about 40 miles northeast of Binghamton.
Photo Credit: *Google Maps*

Joe Lombardi

07/01/2024 1:00 p.m.

The single-engine Piper PA-46 went down in Catskill Park around 2 p.m. Sunday, June 30, in the small Delaware County village of Sidney.

According to the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane had departed from Oneonta about 20 minutes earlier.

Drones, ATVs, and helicopters were used during the hours-long search, leading to the discovery of debris and, ultimately, to the downed aircraft, according to New York State Police.

The family members were from the state of Georgia, and have been identified as:

Roger Beggs, age 76
Laura VanEpps, age 43
Ryan VanEpps, age 42
James R. VanEpps, age 12
Harrison VanEpps, age 10

State Police say the plane was traveling to West Virginia to refuel with its ultimate destination as Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the crash investigation.

Catskill Park comprises about 700,000 acres in Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, and Ulster counties.

Original report - Plane Missing After Crashing With 5 Aboard In Catskill Park

This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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