New York [US], April 14: Six individuals, including two prominent surgeons, their children, and their children’s partners, tragically died in a plane crash near Copake, New York on Saturday. The group was en route to Columbia County Airport near Hudson for a joint 25th birthday celebration and Passover Seder, according to The New York Times.
The aircraft, a Mitsubishi MU-2B twin-engine plane, crashed in a muddy field approximately 10 miles from the airport. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Among the victims were:
- Michael Groff, the pilot and a neurosurgeon, who was described as an experienced flyer.
- Joy Saini, his wife and a pelvic surgeon.
- Karenna Groff, their daughter, a medical student at NYU Langone and former MIT soccer star, named NCAA Woman of the Year in 2022.
- James Santoro, Karenna’s partner, an investment banker who reportedly planned to propose this summer.
- Jared Groff, the couple’s son, a paralegal at a New York hedge fund, preparing for law school.
- Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared’s partner, who had plans to attend Harvard Law School.
Jonathan Becker, a family member and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bard College, mourned the loss in a public statement, saying: “We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic and loving people that they were.”
According to authorities, the aircraft had reported a missed approach near Columbia County Airport and had requested guidance for another approach. Moments later, an alert signaled that the plane was flying unusually low, and the pilot ceased communication. The aircraft then went down in a muddy, snow-covered field near Two Town Road. Fortunately, no buildings or bystanders were harmed.
Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore stated that the crash site was difficult to access due to the field’s muddy condition. Law enforcement and emergency crews from Columbia County, New York State Police, and local fire departments responded after receiving a 911 call around noon.
Lead NTSB investigator Albert Nixon said 14 investigators were examining the wreckage. The investigation also involves specialists from Mitsubishi (the aircraft manufacturer) and Honeywell (engine maker), as well as federal aviation officials in Washington.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 revealed that the aircraft departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, around 11:30 am and vanished from radar just after noon near Copake.
This incident follows a troubling pattern of small plane accidents in the region. Last November, a similar crash involved a pilot and four rescue dogs roughly 50 miles from Copake. In June, five family members were killed in a crash near Binghamton.
The aviation community and loved ones are now left mourning a deeply tragic and unexpected loss.