The family of five from Georgia who died in a small plane crash in upstate New York over the weekend was flying through an area of “storm activity,” the National Transportation Safety Board revealed Tuesday.
An NTSB spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that flight tracking data for the single-engine Piper PA-46 aircraft “was lost about 12 minutes after departure” from Alfred S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta on Sunday afternoon.
“Preliminary information indicates that the plane was flying from Oneonta, New York to Charleston, West Virginia when it crashed under unknown circumstances,” the NTSB spokesperson added. “Meteorological data shows storm activity along the flight path.”
New York State Police on Monday identified the five victims in the crash as Harrison VanEpps, 10, James VanEpps, 12, Ryan VanEpps, 42, Laura VanEpps, 43, and Roger Beggs, 76.
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“All of the passengers are family members from the state of Georgia and were in Cooperstown, NY for a baseball tournament,” police said, noting that the plane went down in the town of Masonville.
The NTSB said Tuesday that the debris path from the wreckage is about a mile long and that “all major portions of the plane” have been found except for the rudder.
They are urging witnesses who spot any potential debris from the plane to contact investigators.
“Today, the plane will be recovered to an offsite facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB also said, adding that the investigation will delve into flight track data, aircraft maintenance records and air traffic control recordings, among other areas.
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“The plane departed from Alfred S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta, NY and was traveling to West Virginia to refuel with its ultimate destination as Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia,” New York State Police said Monday.
Cooperstown is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday called the incident “tragic,” and asked the public to join him and his family “in praying for the loved ones of the Beggs and VanEpps families,” WSB-TV reported.
“We offer our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them,” the governor reportedly added.
