Pilot Killed in Plane Crash Was Expecting First Baby with Wife

A 30-year-old man who was expecting his first child died after the small plane he was piloting crashed in Massachusetts.

Geoffrey Andrews of Melrose, Mass., has been identified as the pilot of the single-engine plane that crashed near Beverly Regional Airport on the morning of Thursday, June 19, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office confirms in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

The second man in the plane was hospitalized with serious injuries following the crash, according to CBS News, local outlet WHDH and NBC affiliate WBTS.

The crash occurred shortly after the plane took off from the airport, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation.

“After take off, witnesses reported seeing black smoke from the belly of the aircraft and the pilot reported engine issues to local air traffic control,” the agency said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

On Thursday afternoon, the NTSB arrived on scene and the plane was recovered so it could be examined further by investigators. 

Andrews’ family said they are “devastated and heartbroken,” according to a GoFundMe page created by a loved one.

“We thank the investigators who we trust will conduct a thorough investigation into what caused this catastrophic loss of life,” wrote Geoffrey’s uncle, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. “We also pray for his passenger in the plane and are sending his loved ones strength through this difficult time.”

Andrews, who dreamed of becoming an astronaut, was a staff scientist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and had earned his PhD from Purdue University, according to a message shared on the donation page. He was also a graduate of Lehigh University and had started teaching there as a visiting lecturer. 

Beyond his work in a laboratory, the young man was excited about flying and was a volunteer glider pilot, flew aerobatics for years and was working on becoming a certified flight instructor.

Additionally, family said that his wife is expecting their first child, who’s due in October. 

“He was so excited about the upcoming birth of their baby,” wrote his uncle, adding that Geoffrey was a “charismatic, beautiful soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and always had a kind word for others.” 

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In an interview with WDHD, his uncle shared more about the couple’s connection.

“They are just everything you would hope a young, loving couple would be,” he told the outlet, “they were devoted to each other.”

As if Monday, June 23, over $63,000 has been raised on behalf of his wife.