What began as a joyful family trip to celebrate a birthday and observe Passover ended in tragedy when a private plane crashed in upstate New York, claiming six lives. The aircraft, a Mitsubishi MU-2B twin-engine turboprop, went down around 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025, near Copake, approximately 10 miles south of its intended destination at Columbia County Airport in Hudson.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash and announced that the National Transportation Safety Board would take the lead in the investigation. Early findings revealed that the pilot had reported a missed approach and was awaiting a revised flight plan. Before it could be delivered, air traffic control issued multiple low-altitude warnings that went unanswered. No distress signal was received.

The victims were all members of an accomplished, close-knit family. Among them was Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player and the NCAA Woman of the Year in 2022. Her father, Dr. Michael Groff, a respected neurosurgeon and experienced pilot, had been flying the aircraft. Karenna’s mother, Dr. Joy Saini, was a urogynecologist and founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness. Also onboard were Karenna’s brother, Jared Groff, a Swarthmore College graduate working as a paralegal; his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, accepted to Harvard Law School; and Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro, an MIT graduate working at a Connecticut hedge fund.

According to NTSB officials, the aircraft was intact before impact and struck the ground at a steep, uncontrolled descent. The wreckage was heavily compressed and embedded in muddy terrain. Weather conditions at the time and mechanical factors are being reviewed, but the aircraft had been retrofitted to meet FAA standards.

Karenna Groff had been widely celebrated not only for her achievements on the soccer field but also for her academic and humanitarian contributions. She was pursuing her master’s in biomedical engineering at MIT and working on genetic therapies for epilepsy at Boston Children’s Hospital. She had also co-founded openPPE, an initiative that designed and distributed protective masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Karenna, her partner James, and the rest of the family had departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains that morning. The plane was bound for a private family gathering in the Catskills.

Following the crash, Rochester Regional Health confirmed the passing of Dr. Michael Groff, calling him a compassionate clinician and visionary leader in neuroscience. Funeral arrangements for the family are underway, and the investigation is expected to continue for months, if not longer.

The Groff-Saini family leaves behind a legacy of academic excellence, medical service, and athletic distinction. Their sudden loss has sent shockwaves through multiple professional communities.

Just two months earlier, another aviation emergency occurred when a Delta Air Lines plane traveling from Minneapolis to Toronto crash-landed and flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Though that incident resulted in injuries to 18 passengers, all 80 people aboard survived. Among the survivors was paramedic Pete Carlson, who helped others escape through the overturned aircraft despite sustaining a head injury.

Passengers described a chaotic but cooperative evacuation as emergency crews responded. Smoke was visible from the wreckage, and aviation fuel leaked onto the snow-covered tarmac. Carlson, drawing on his training, aided a trapped mother and her child before exiting the aircraft.

Delta, along with its partner Endeavor Air, confirmed the crash and temporarily suspended operations at the airport. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is now leading the investigation, with support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

The juxtaposition of these two aviation disasters—one fatal, the other narrowly avoided—underscores the fragility of air travel and the profound impact these events have on families, communities, and the broader public. As investigations continue into both incidents, thoughts remain with the victims and those left behind.