Courtesy: NTSB
COPAKE, N.Y. (AP) — A small plane crash in Copake, New York, on Saturday claimed the lives of six members of a prominent family who were traveling to celebrate a birthday and Passover.
The victims included Karenna Groff, 25, a former MIT soccer standout and 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year; her boyfriend, James Santoro, an investment banker; Karenna’s brother, Jared Groff, a former Swarthmore basketball player; his girlfriend, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, an aspiring Harvard Law student from Colombia; and the siblings’ parents, Drs. Michael Groff and Joy Saini, both distinguished surgeons. Michael Groff, an experienced pilot, was flying the Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft when it crashed into a muddy field shortly after reporting a missed approach to Columbia County Airport.
The family was en route from White Plains to Columbia County Airport, approximately 10 miles from the crash site. Overcast weather conditions may have contributed to the accident, though the exact cause remains under investigation. No mechanical issues were initially found with the aircraft.
The Groffs’ youngest daughter, Anika, was not on board.