New details have emerged following a devastating plane crash that cost the lives of a family of doctors and student athletes.
On April 12, a family consisting of doctors, student athletes, and their partners, were killed when their private plane crashed in New York.
The twin-engine turboprop Mitsubishi MU-2B, which had departed from White Plains and was carrying six people, crashed near the Massachusetts border as it attempted to land at Columbia County Airport.
Among the victims were Michael Groff, a neuroscientist and experienced pilot, his wife Joy Saini, a urologist, and their children: MIT graduates Karenna and Jared Groff.
Also killed were Karenna’s boyfriend, James Sontoro, and Jared’s partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, according to the Times Union. Their daughter Anika was not on the flight.
Moments before the tragedy, the pilot had contacted air traffic controllers to request a second landing attempt when the control tower issued a “low altitude alert” and then lost all contact with the private plane, according to The New York Post.
Now, an investigation into the tragedy has revealed further details about the events leading up to the crash.
The private plane had been due to depart from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, a suburb of New York City at 11.16AM, but Groff, 55, who was piloting the plane, was running late and missed his approach to Columbia County Airport's runway, according to an investigator's report.
He had left the suburbs of Boston early that morning to pick up Karenna and her boyfriend Santoro fro White Plains, and informed air traffic control at around 11.57AM that he had missed his slot.
The air traffic controller then advised him on new instructions for landing, which Groff acknowledged shortly after 12PM.
One minute later, the controller warned Groff that his plane was flying too low, but the pilot never responded to air traffic control, despite them sending out numerous warnings.
The report states that there was no futher radio transmissions from the plane before it crashed, killing everyone on board.
The plane crashed around 10 miles south of the airport in a muddy, snow-covered field, though the report states that there were no significant weather warnings issued for the area at the time.
The Groff, Santoro, and Duarte families shared a joint statement, reading: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved family members. We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic, and loving people that they were."
James' father, John Santoro, told the Associated Press: "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."
The family was headed to the Catskills for Karenna's 25th birthday and Passover celebration when the horrific crash occurred.
Karenna, a standout soccer player at MIT, was named NCAA Woman of the Year in 2022 and was studying medicine at NYU.
“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 said in an interview at the time.
James, like Karenna, was an MIT graduate and worked in finance. Michael served as executive director of neuroscience at Rochester Regional Health and was an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.
Groff's family said, as cited by Times Union: "[He was] an experienced pilot, who fell in love with flying after being taught by his father at the age of sixteen."
In a statement, Rochester Regional Health CEO Richard Davis said: "Dr. Groff was a highly respected neurosurgeon and physician leader, known for his clinical excellence, compassionate care and unwavering commitment to advancing the the field of neuroscience."
Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this tragedy.