NTSB Details Fatal Upstate New York Plane Crash Killing Six

Federal investigators have released preliminary findings on the April 12 plane crash in Copake, New York, which killed six members of a Massachusetts family, including former MIT soccer player Karenna Groff and her parents. The Mitsubishi MU-2B-40, piloted by Dr. Michael Groff, departed Westchester County Airport and was approaching Columbia County Airport when the pilot reported missing the initial runway approach and was given new landing instructions. Shortly after acknowledging the new instructions, the pilot failed to respond to warnings about flying too low, and the plane disappeared from radar before crashing into snow-covered terrain approximately 10 miles south of the airport. The NTSB report noted that all major aircraft components were found within a 150-foot debris field and that the weather was overcast with no significant advisories at the time, although some reports mentioned active warnings for low-level wind shear and icing. Investigators have not yet determined the exact cause of the crash. Security footage showed the plane descending steeply from low clouds before impact, and the aircraft was operating under instrument flight rules during the approach.