A devastating plane crash in Copake, New York, claimed the lives of six family members over the weekend. The victims—respected doctors and MIT student-athletes—were en route to a birthday and Passover celebration when their twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B went down in a muddy,
field Saturday afternoon.Among those lost were Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer star and NCAA Woman of the Year, her partner James Santoro, and her parents, Dr. Michael Groff and Dr. Joy Saini. The crash occurred shortly after the pilot reported,
a missed approach to air traffic control. No distress signal was received.Investigators say the plane was certified and piloted by an experienced aviator. Video footage shows the aircraft descending steeply before impact. The tragedy adds to a string of fatal aviation accidents in 2025,
leaving multiple families and communities in mourning. “They were a wonderful family,” said James’s father, John Santoro. “The world lost a lot of very good people.” Rest in peace to all the victims.
