Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Six During Family Holiday Trip in Upstate New York

A tight-knit family’s holiday trip turned into unimaginable tragedy on Saturday when a private plane crashed into a muddy field near Copake, New York, killing all six people on board. The group was en route to the Catskills for a birthday celebration and to mark the upcoming Passover holiday.

The twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft went down just after 12:15 p.m. about 20 miles southeast of its intended destination, Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York. It had departed from Westchester County Airport earlier that morning. According to authorities, the crash site—an open, rural field near the Massachusetts border—was difficult for emergency crews to access due to muddy terrain. No structures were hit during the crash.

Officials confirmed the victims were a family of physicians and high-achieving young adults, including NCAA Woman of the Year Karenna Groff.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot had radioed air traffic control to report a missed approach and requested a new landing plan. Controllers issued multiple low-altitude alerts but received no reply. No distress call was made.

Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed the aircraft was intact before it plunged at a high rate of descent into the ground. The plane was “compressed, buckled, and embedded in the terrain,” said NTSB member Todd Inman.

At the time of the crash, the pilot was flying under instrument flight rules due to weather, though it remains unclear if visibility issues played a role. Investigators are looking into all possible causes, including mechanical failure, human error, and weather conditions.