6 People with NCAA Woman of the Year dies in Massachusetts Plane Crash: On a serene Saturday afternoon, a devastating tragedy struck in Copake, New York. A twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B plane crashed into a muddy field, killing all six people on board. The passengers were a Massachusetts family who were traveling to the Catskills to celebrate a birthday and the Passover holiday.
The Final Moments in the Sky
The aircraft had departed from White Plains’ Westchester County Airport. The pilot—Dr. Michael Groff—had radioed for a second landing at Columbia County Airport after he failed to land the first time, the NTSB said. Air traffic control attempted to alert him three times to his low altitude. There was no return and no distress call.
Investigaters studied video recordings of the last few seconds. It indicated that the plane was intact but flew down very quickly. It landed on the ground with tremendous force so that it ended up crumpled and buried deep into the field.
Who They Were
The victims were not mere passengers—they were a close, successful family.
Karenna Groff, a former MIT All-American soccer player, was 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year. She co-founded openPPE in the COVID-19 pandemic to assist critical workers.
Her father, Dr. Michael Groff, was a well-known neurosurgeon and a licensed pilot.
Her mother, Dr. Joy Saini, was a urogynecologist and founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness.
Her brother, Jared Groff, was a Swarthmore graduate and a paralegal.
Jared’s girlfriend, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, another Swarthmore graduate, was getting ready to go to Harvard Law School.
Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro, a former MIT lacrosse player and mathematics major, was a finance professional in Manhattan.
A Family Full of Promise
The Groff-Sainis were a uncommon blend of humanity, brains, and drive. Karenna and James had recently relocated to Manhattan, where she started medical school at NYU, and he was employed with a hedge fund. They were young, capable, and primed to mold the world.
“They were a great family,” John Santoro, James’ father said. “The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had a chance.”
A Painful Investigation Ahead
Officials state the pilot was flying by instrument flight rules, though visibility and weather conditions continue to be assessed. The aircraft, with its recently upgraded cockpit that was in accordance with FAA requirements, was just bought one year earlier.
The probe will take no more than two years, with NTSB representatives at the scene for around a week. It’s too early to speculate on why the drop occurred so suddenly, but the loss is already impossible to measure.
A Community in Mourning
The tragedy has shocked both the academic and medical communities. From MIT to Swarthmore, and from Boston to New York, those who knew the victims mourn the loss of not only high achievers but truly kind and generous individuals.
Funeral arrangements are underway. The families, changed forever, are now relying on memories. “The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives,” said his father, “and the joy and love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime.”
Conclusion: A Devastating Loss
What was supposed to be a joyous weekend reunion became an unforeseen tragedy. The Massachusetts family’s legacy will be one of greatness, service, and kindness. Their life was so sharply shortened—but their contributions will never be forgotten.
All in all, the incident is very tragic and nobody wants to loose their family in an accident hence there should be a protocol to minimize the plan crashes to ensure more safety.
