On April 12, 2025, a Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft crashed near Copake, New York, killing all six people aboard. The victims,
members of a high-achieving family, were traveling to the Catskills to celebrate a birthday and Passover. The plane, piloted
by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Groff, was bound for Columbia County Airport but crashed 10 miles short of its destination,
The deceased included Dr. Groff, his wife Dr. Joy Saini, their children Karenna and Jared Groff, Jared’s partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte,
and Karenna’s boyfriend James Santoro. Karenna, a former MIT soccer star, was the NCAA’s 2022 Woman of the Year and a promising medical student,
According to the NTSB, the pilot reported missing an approach and was attempting a second when controllers issued a low-altitude alert—met
with no response. The plane hit the ground at high speed and remained intact before impact,
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause, including weather and mechanical factors. A full report could take up to two years.
