MIT star and NCAA Woman of the Year dies in devastating plane crash with entire family

How did the Copake plane crash claim the lives of promising young leaders?

A devastating plane crash in upstate New York on April 12, 2025, claimed the lives of six individuals, including Karenna Groff, a celebrated former student-athlete at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year. Groff, who was pursuing her medical degree at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, was traveling with her immediate family and partner when the twin-engine aircraft went down near the town of Copake, about 10 miles from Columbia County Airport.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is conducting a detailed investigation, reported that the aircraft—a Mitsubishi MU-2B—plunged into a field at a steep descent shortly after the pilot missed an approach to the local airport. Despite an attempt to reinitiate landing procedures, the pilot did not respond to subsequent altitude warnings, and no distress call was made. The flight, which had departed from Westchester County Airport, ended in a tragic loss for multiple academic and professional communities.

Who was Karenna Groff, and why was she widely celebrated?

Karenna Groff stood out as a multifaceted talent: an engineer, athlete, researcher, and aspiring neurosurgeon. Raised in Weston, Massachusetts, Groff was a top-performing soccer player during her undergraduate years at MIT, where she pursued both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological engineering. She was known not only for her athletic achievements but also for her commitment to public service.

In 2022, she was named NCAA Woman of the Year, an honour bestowed on a student-athlete who demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics, service, and leadership. Groff was selected from a pool of more than 600 nominees nationwide. Her award recognised both her academic rigour and her advocacy work, which included co-founding openPPE, a COVID-19-era initiative that developed high-quality personal protective equipment for frontline workers.

At the time of her death, Groff was a medical student at NYU Langone Health, focusing on neurosurgery, a competitive and demanding field. Her peers and faculty remembered her as someone who embodied intelligence, empathy, and resilience—a rising star in medicine with ambitions to merge clinical practice with bioengineering innovation.

What do we know about the other victims on board the aircraft?

The crash also claimed the lives of Groff’s parents, Dr. Michael Groff and Dr. Joy Saini, both of whom were respected physicians in the Boston area. Dr. Michael Groff, who was piloting the plane, was a neurosurgeon and faculty member at Harvard Medical School. He had decades of experience both in the operating theatre and in the cockpit, with a long record of private piloting.

Dr. Joy Saini was a board-certified urogynecologist and founder of Boston Pelvic Health and Wellness. She was widely respected for her patient advocacy and holistic approach to women’s health.

Groff’s younger brother, Jared Groff, a Swarthmore College graduate working as a paralegal in Boston, also died in the crash along with his partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, a recent graduate who was planning to attend Harvard Law School in the fall. Groff’s partner, James Santoro, was a former MIT student and an investment associate at Silver Point Capital in Connecticut.

The group had been en route to the Catskills for a dual celebration—Karenna’s 25th birthday and Passover—when the crash occurred. The sole surviving member of the immediate Groff-Saini family is Karenna’s younger sister, Anika, a high school senior who was not on the flight.

What are the preliminary findings from investigators regarding the crash?

The NTSB’s initial assessment found that the aircraft was structurally intact before impact and that the engines appeared to be functioning during the descent. The plane went down in a remote agricultural field, and while it did not catch fire, it was destroyed upon impact. The Mitsubishi MU-2B, though a high-performance aircraft, has a complex handling profile and has been involved in multiple accidents in the past, leading to changes in pilot training requirements in the United States.

The pilot had reported a missed approach and had requested a second attempt, which is not uncommon in poor weather conditions. At the time of the crash, the region was experiencing overcast skies, gusty winds, and near-freezing temperatures. Investigators are examining whether these factors contributed to reduced visibility or destabilised flight conditions.

There was no Mayday or emergency call issued from the cockpit, despite air traffic controllers issuing repeated low-altitude warnings. The NTSB expects to release a preliminary report within 30 days, while a full investigation could take up to two years.

How are the academic and medical communities responding to the tragedy?

The loss of Karenna Groff and her family has resonated widely across the MIT, NYU Langone, and broader medical communities. MIT issued a statement mourning the loss of a student whose brilliance and compassion left a deep impact on both peers and faculty. NYU Langone described Groff as “a beacon of inspiration,” with faculty noting her rare combination of intellectual rigour and human warmth.

The Weston School District, where both Groff and her siblings had graduated, announced grief counselling for students and staff and expressed deep sorrow for the family’s loss. An outpouring of tributes has also emerged online, where classmates, colleagues, and former teammates described Groff as “a once-in-a-generation mind” who was deeply committed to improving lives through science and medicine.

What broader issues are raised by this crash in terms of aviation safety?

The aircraft involved in the crash, the Mitsubishi MU-2B, has long been a subject of debate in aviation circles. While it is a powerful and efficient turboprop, its design requires specialised pilot training, particularly in single-pilot configurations. In 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated stricter training protocols for MU-2B pilots following a string of accidents involving improper handling during landing and descent.

Dr. Michael Groff, according to public records, had a valid pilot’s licence and was certified for multi-engine aircraft. However, whether he had completed recurrent training on the MU-2B remains under review. Aviation experts suggest that even experienced pilots can face challenges when flying such aircraft in marginal weather or when fatigue, stress, or overconfidence affect split-second decision-making.

This tragedy underscores the risks involved in private aviation and raises questions about the balance between pilot autonomy and regulatory oversight in high-performance aircraft.

How will this incident be remembered, and what legacy does Karenna Groff leave behind?

As tributes continue to emerge, Karenna Groff’s legacy is being shaped not only by her athletic and academic achievements but by her values—leadership, service, and a lifelong commitment to excellence. She is remembered not just as an NCAA Woman of the Year or a standout at MIT, but as someone who represented the best potential of her generation.

The tragic loss of an entire family—each member distinguished by intellect, empathy, and promise—has left a void in multiple spheres: medical, legal, academic, and athletic. For Anika Groff, the surviving sibling, and for those inspired by her sister’s story, the path forward may be filled with grief but also shaped by resilience.

The NTSB will continue its investigation, but the human toll is already clear. For institutions like MIT, NYU, Harvard, and Swarthmore, the memory of this family will endure through scholarships, remembrances, and the work of those they influenced.