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Beloved Woman Dies in Devastating Plane Crash

April 14, 2025
by The Times Of America

Plane Crash Claims Lives of Six Family Members Including 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year in Upstate New York Tragedy

A small private plane crashed in a muddy field near Copake, New York on Saturday, killing all six people on board, including a family of accomplished doctors and student athletes who were traveling to celebrate a birthday and Passover in the Catskills region.

The victims reportedly included neuroscientist Dr. Michael Groff, urologist Dr. Joy Saini, their MIT-graduate daughter Karenna and her boyfriend James Sontoro. Also killed were the couple’s son Jared Groff and his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte.

A third child of the Massachusetts doctor couple, daughter Anika, was not on the plane and is now left to cope with the devastating loss of her entire immediate family.

Dr. Groff served as an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and was the executive director of neuroscience at Rochester Regional Health, where colleagues described him as a brilliant physician and researcher. He was also an experienced pilot, though investigators have not yet determined what role, if any, pilot error may have played in the accident.

His wife, Dr. Joy Saini, was a respected urologist who had dedicated her career to patient care and medical advancement. Together, they had raised three high-achieving children who followed in their parents’ footsteps of academic excellence.

Their daughter Karenna was studying medicine at New York University following an impressive academic and athletic career at MIT, where she earned the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award in 2022 for her accomplishments in soccer and academics.

“They were a wonderful family,” said John Sontoro, James’s father, struggling to come to terms with the sudden tragedy. 

“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 New York Post reported that the Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, piloted by Dr. Groff, departed from White Plains airport Saturday morning and was scheduled to land at Columbia County Airport around noon. Before the crash, the pilot notified air traffic controllers that they had missed their approach and requested directions for a second attempt. 

The tower reported a “low altitude alert” before losing contact with the aircraft, indicating the plane may have been flying dangerously close to the ground during its approach.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Albert Nixon confirmed at a Sunday press conference that the plane crashed moments after communication was lost, the Post highlighted.

The federal agency continues to investigate the accident, looking into possible mechanical failures, weather conditions and human factors that may have contributed to the crash.

Upon receiving that honor, Karenna had said, “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.” 

James Sontoro, Karenna’s boyfriend, was also an MIT graduate who worked in finance, while Jared Groff and his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte were building their own promising careers before their lives were cut short in Saturday’s tragedy.

The Post reported that the surviving family members released a heartbreaking statement saying, “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.”

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