Mon Apr 14 04:53:30 UTC 2025: ## Prominent Family of Physicians and Student-Athletes Killed in Upstate New York Plane Crash
**Copake, NY** – A tragic plane crash in Copake, New York, on Saturday claimed the lives of six people, including a prominent Indian-American urogynecologist and her family. The victims were identified as Dr. Joy Saini, her neuroscientist husband Dr. Michael Groff, their daughter Karenna Groff (a 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year), their son Jared Groff, Jared’s partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte, and Karenna Groff’s boyfriend James Santoro. All were traveling in Dr. Groff’s twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B plane en route to the Catskills for Passover.
The plane, departing from Westchester County Airport, crashed approximately 10 miles south of its intended destination, Columbia County Airport. Preliminary reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate the pilot reported missing the initial approach and requested a new plan. Despite repeated low-altitude alerts from air traffic control, there was no response from the pilot, and no distress call was received. Video footage obtained by investigators shows the plane descending rapidly and intact before impact in a muddy field.
The NTSB is investigating whether reduced visibility contributed to the crash, as the pilot was operating under instrument flight rules. While the plane, purchased a year prior, had an upgraded cockpit with FAA-certified technology, the investigation is ongoing.
Dr. Joy Saini, born in Punjab, India, was a highly accomplished pelvic surgeon and founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness. She met her husband, Dr. Michael Groff, a distinguished neurosurgeon and experienced pilot, during their medical training at the University of Pittsburgh. The couple’s surviving family members include their daughter Anika, as well as Dr. Groff’s parents and Dr. Saini’s mother and siblings. Karenna and Jared Groff were accomplished student-athletes; Karenna at MIT and Jared at Swarthmore College. Both Alexia Couyutas Duarte and James Santoro were recent MIT graduates. The loss of this close-knit family is a devastating blow to their communities and the wider medical and academic fields. The NTSB is expected to release a more detailed report following a comprehensive investigation.
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