Five occupants killed in plane crash near Sydney, New York

Lina Portman3 days ago

0 2 minutes read

Federal investigators were expected to travel to Delaware County on Monday to probe a plane crash that killed five people.

The single-engine Piper Malibu Mirage was flying from Oneonta to Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday afternoon when it crashed near Sidney under unknown circumstances, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane took off from Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta with five people on board. The stopover in Charleston was for the purpose of refueling and the final destination was Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.

New York State Police confirmed that all five occupants were killed and that all of the passengers were family members from Georgia who were in Cooperstown for a baseball tournament.

State police identified the victims as Roger Beggs, 76, Laura VanEpps, 43, Ryan VanEpps, 42, James R. VanEpps, 12, and Harrison VanEpps, 10.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigator was expected to arrive at the crash scene Monday afternoon and begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the wreckage.

The plane wreckage will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation, the agency said.

Investigators will focus on three areas: the pilot, the aircraft itself and the operating environment, including weather conditions.

The investigation will include reviewing flight path data, aircraft maintenance records, a 72-hour background check of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that may have affected the pilot's ability to safely fly the aircraft, and any available surveillance video, including doorbell cameras.

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Investigators emphasize that eyewitness reports can be very helpful in determining what happened before the crash. Anyone who witnessed the event or has video or other relevant information can contact the National Transportation Safety Board at [email protected].

The agency said it is not speculating on the cause of the crash during the on-site investigation. A preliminary report, which will include factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation, will be available within 30 days.

A final report, which will include the probable cause of the accident, as well as likely contributing factors, typically takes between 12 and 24 months to complete.

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Lina Portman

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