New York plane crash: Family of six killed in horror private jet crash named

A family of six tragically perished when their private plane crashed in upstate New York over the weekend, with authorities now confirming their identities.

The tight-knit family, comprised of medical professionals and accomplished student-athletes, were en route to the Catskills for a birthday celebration and the Passover holiday. Their journey ended in disaster as the twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft they were aboard plummeted into a muddy field in Copake, New York, shortly after midday on Saturday, April 13.

During a press conference with the National Transportation Safety Board on Sunday, it was disclosed that the pilot had contacted air traffic control at Columbia County Airport just before the crash, indicating he had missed the initial approach and was requesting a new one. As controllers prepared the new coordinates, they issued three low altitude warnings to the pilot, who did not respond and did not issue a distress call, officials reported.

The devastating crash claimed the lives of all passengers, as confirmed by authorities and a family member in conversation with The Associated Press. Footage captured in the final moments before the crash was obtained by investigators, which, according to NTSB official Todd Inman, "appears to show that the aircraft was intact and crashed at a high rate of descent into the ground," he informed journalists

Among the casualties were Karenna Groff, a former MIT footballer and 2022 NCAA woman of the year; her father, neuroscientist Dr. Michael Groff; her mother, urogynecologist Dr. Joy Saini; her brother, Jared Groff, a 2022 Swarthmore College graduate and paralegal; Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared Groff's partner who also graduated from Swarthmore and had plans to attend Harvard Law School this autumn; and Karenna Groff's boyfriend, James Santoro, another recent MIT graduate, according to a family statement released on Sunday.

John Santoro, James' father, expressed his grief saying: " They were a wonderful family. The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We're all personally devastated."

Santoro revealed that his son first encountered Karenna Groff during their freshman year at MIT. Groff, a Weston, Massachusetts native, was an All-American footballer studying biomedical engineering. Santoro, a maths major from New Jersey, played lacrosse for the school.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karenna Groff co-founded openPPE, contributing to the development of a new mask design for essential workers. In 2023, she was honoured with the prestigious NCAA woman of the year award for her achievements both on and off the field.

"Really, this recognition is a testament to my MIT women's soccer family and all of the guidance, support, and friendship they have provided for me over the years," she stated in an interview at the time.

Post-graduation, Santoro and Groff made the move to Manhattan, where Groff commenced his medical studies at New York University, while Santoro took on a role as an investment associate with Silver Point Capital, a hedge fund headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Originally from India, Saini was a renowned pelvic surgeon and the driving force behind Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness, as described by her family. Her medical education unfolded at the University of Pittsburgh, which is also where she encountered Michael Groff. Groff not only established himself as a prominent neurosurgeon but also excelled as an aviator, according to the family's account.

John Santoro reported that on Saturday morning, the group made their way to Westchester County Airport situated in White Plains, a suburb outside New York City. There they climbed aboard Michael Groff's private aircraft.

Their intended destination was Columbia County Airport, yet they tragically went down approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) to the south. Inman described the crash site scene: the plane was "compressed, buckled and embedded in the terrain" of a sodden agricultural field.

Flying under instrument flight rules as opposed to visual flight rules, the pilot navigated the skies, although it was still premature to say if inclement weather and low visibility played any role in the incident, Inman remarked.

The aircraft in question had changed hands just a year prior and boasted a modernized cockpit with updated technology that met Federal Aviation Administration criteria, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicated. While the investigators anticipate spending up to a week at the scene of the crash, producing a comprehensive accident report could take anywhere between 12 to 24 months, Inman conveyed.

Funeral preparations are being made, Santoro disclosed.

"The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives," he imparted, "and the joy and love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime."