A tragic plane crash in upstate New York over the weekend resulted in the death of six people, including a family of accomplished medical professionals and student athletes. Among the victims were Michael Groff, a neuroscientist, his wife Joy Saini, a urologist, and their daughter Karenna, a recent MIT graduate. Karenna’s boyfriend, James Sontoro, also perished in the crash. The accident took place in a muddy field in Copake, near the Massachusetts border, according to information provided by Sontoro’s father.
Also lost in the crash were Jared Groff, the couple’s son, and his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte. The Groff family’s third child, Anika, was not on board the Mitsubishi MU-2B private plane at the time of the accident. The family was traveling to the Catskills for a birthday and Passover celebration when the tragedy struck.
John Sontoro, James’ father, expressed his sorrow over the loss of the Groff family, describing them as “wonderful” and lamenting the loss of individuals who could have made significant contributions to society. James Sontoro, like his girlfriend Karenna, was an MIT graduate and worked in the finance sector. Karenna was studying medicine at New York University and had been recognized as the NCAA woman of the year in 2022 for her soccer and academic achievements at MIT.
Michael Groff held an associate professorship at Harvard Medical School and served as the executive director of neuroscience at Rochester Regional Health. He was also an experienced pilot. The family released a statement expressing their devastation and remembering the victims as “brilliant, dynamic, and loving people.”
The ill-fated flight had taken off from a White Plains airport on Saturday morning, with an expected arrival at the Columbia County Airport around noon. However, the pilot reported missing their approach and requested directions for a second attempt. Shortly after, air traffic controllers received a “low altitude alert” and subsequently lost all contact with the aircraft. The plane crashed moments later, as reported by National Transportation Safety Board investigator Albert Nixon. The federal agency is continuing its investigation into the accident.