5 killed in Delaware County plane crash. What we know as federal investigation begins.

Jeff Murray, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin
·2 min read

Federal investigators were scheduled to travel to Delaware County on Monday to look into a small plane crash that claimed the lives of 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 reported the plane departed from Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta with five people on board. The Charleston stop was for refueling and the ultimate destination was Cobb County International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.

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

A photograph taken by Bob Parmerter, of Schenevus, shows a Piper Malibu single-engine aircraft sitting at the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta shortly before takeoff Sunday, June 30, 2024. The plane crashed near Sidney a short time later, killing all five people on board.
A photograph taken by Bob Parmerter, of Schenevus, shows a Piper Malibu single-engine aircraft sitting at the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport in Oneonta shortly before takeoff Sunday, June 30, 2024. The plane crashed near Sidney a short time later, killing all five people on board.

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 site Monday afternoon and begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the wreckage.

The aircraft 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 examination of flight track data, aircraft maintenance records, a 72-hour background check of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safety operate the plane, and any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras.

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Investigators emphasize eyewitness reports can be very helpful in determining what happened prior to the crash. Anyone who witnesses the event or has video or any other relevant information can contact the National Transportation Safety Board at witness@ntsb.gov.

The agency said it doesn't speculate about a cause of the crash during the on-scene 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 probable cause of the crash, along with likely contributing factors, typically takes from 12 to 24 months to complete.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Five occupants killed in plane crash near Sidney, New York