Community remembers man killed in plane crash

Share Add Us On Google Add as a preferred source on Google ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A community in Roswell is rallying around the family of a man who died in a plane crash this week. Eric Stephens, 57, the founder of zPaper , a Roswell-based health technology company, was killed around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when the single-engine plane he was in crashed near the Gwinnett County Airport. Stephens died at the scene, while another man, identified as Peter Magnuson, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 1 person dead, 1 injured after plane crashes in Gwinnett County Roswell United Methodist Church, where Stephens attended, held a prayer vigil Wednesday night for him and his wife Cammie and two daughters. The church also offered the sanctuary and chapel for worshippers to pray for the grief-stricken family. Pastor Derek Porter said that Stephens, who was a preacher’s kid, was in the church choir at Roswell United Methodist for 30 years. “When Eric reached his last breath, God’s tears were the first to fall … it broke God’s heart” Porter said. “The church family will hold them and guide them and lead them … and we will continue to walk together.” The incident is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who was on scene Wednesday afternoon. Atlanta News First learned from the NTSB that the investigator working the crash said he does not have any indication that the plane was on fire prior to crashing. The next update will be the preliminary report within 30 days. This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more. Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.