No survivors reported after plane with 6 aboard crashes in New York
Share this @internewscast.com

No survivors were reported after a private plane crashed while it was preparing for a second landing attempt in New York’s Columbia County on Saturday, officials said.

Six people traveling to Columbia County Airport in Ghent en route to a planned holiday celebration with family were on board, federal officials said at a news conference Sunday.

Family friend John Santoro said a statement to The Associated Press that his adult son, recent MIT graduate James Santoro, died in the crash.

Santoro’ statement identified the others on board: Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player named the 2022 NCAA woman of the year; her father, Dr. Michael Groff, a neuroscientist; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini, a urogynecologist; her brother, Jared Groff, a 2022 graduate of Swarthmore College who worked as a paralegal; Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared Groff’s partner, who also graduated from Swarthmore and planned to attend Harvard Law School; and James Santoro, Karenna Groff’s boyfriend.

All six were pulled from the plane and none were hospitalized, Todd Inman, member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said at Sunday’s news conference.

“The aircraft was compressed, buckled and embedded into the terrain,” Inman said. “The aircraft was, in fact, crashed at a high rate of descent into the ground.”

The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2B with an experienced pilot at the controls, crashed into a field near Copake at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday, according to NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration officials. The aircraft was about 10 miles south of its destination, Columbia County Airport.

The plane was flying out of Westchester County Airport in West Harrison, just north of New York City and about 100 miles south of Ghent, NTSB officials said.

The pilot had abandoned a landing attempt and was preparing a second try when the plane hit the ground at a high speed, Inman said.

“The pilot reported a missed approach,” Albert Nixon, the NTSB investigator in charge of the crash probe, said at the news conference.

The Columbia County Airport air traffic control tower tried to contact him four times to no avail, he said. The radio contact started with an attempt to inform the pilot of a low-altitude warning, Nixon said.

The pilot remained silent, he said. “There was no distress call” before impact, Nixon said.

The pilot was flying by instrument, not visually, and there was snow on the ground, NTSB officials said. The conditions included overcast skies and a temperature of 35 degrees, according to National Weather Service data.

Investigators have reviewed video of the crash, Inman said. It wasn’t clear where exactly the video was recorded, and he indicated it was unlikely it would be released publicly.

The Mitsubishi MU-2B is a twin-turboprop aircraft with a pressurized cabin, like commercial jets, Inman said, which would allow it to fly higher and farther than many noncommercial planes.

He said the aircraft changed hands last year and at the time got “a very upgraded avionics package.”

The plane was registered to an entity called Dynamic Spine Solutions LLC, based in Weston, Massachusetts, according to FAA tail number registration information. Dr. Michael Groff is listed in state incorporation records as the entity’s sole agent and contact.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of deaths or the identities of those on board.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Milwaukee police officers ambushed in alley shooting, suspect on the run

Milwaukee Police Officers Attacked in Alley; Suspect Fleeing

Two Milwaukee police officers were shot Thursday in an ambush-style attack, and…

Trump Administration Revokes Legal Protections for 500,000 Haitians, Leading to Potential Deportations

MIAMI (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that…
'Coward' facing charges, accused of targeting federal agents with fiery attack at Los Angeles hotel

“Suspect Facing Charges for Allegedly Attacking Federal Agents at Los Angeles Hotel”

A habitual offender, accused of attacking a Los Angeles hotel with a…
David Beckham in a hospital bed with his arm in a sling.

David Beckham Undergoes Secret Wrist Surgery 22 Years After Injury Sustained in England Game, Reveals Victoria with Hospital Photo

DAVID Beckham has undergone a secret operation to repair a broken wrist…
Milwaukee, Wisconsin shooting: 2 police officers shot, critically injured; suspect at large

Shooting Incident in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Two Officers Critically Injured; Search for Suspect Underway

MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee police officers sustained critical injuries after being shot…
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei image on the wall during a pro-Iran demonstration

Iranian Opposition Leader Predicts ‘Inevitable’ Regime Change, Shares Vision

As President Donald Trump’s historic ceasefire is implemented, the uncertainty surrounding Iran’s…
Idaho judge rejects Bryan Kohberger's request to delay murder trial in college student stabbings

Idaho Judge Denies Bryan Kohberger’s Request to Postpone Murder Trial in College Student Stabbings

An Idaho judge says he won’t postpone the quadruple murder trial of…
Chinese 'agroterrorism' could threaten US 'survival as a nation,' expert warns

Expert Warns That Chinese ‘Agroterrorism’ Could Endanger US National Survival

Two Chinese nationals have been arrested on charges of smuggling a crop-destroying…
North Korea's Kim cuts tape at coastal tourist site; foreigners not yet welcome

North Korea’s Kim Inaugurates Coastal Tourist Site; Still Closed to Foreign Visitors

North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un officially inaugurated a new coastal tourism…
Meet the men who just became Catholic priests in Virginia

Introducing the Newly Ordained Catholic Priests in Virginia

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — In a period where the U.S. Catholic Church…
CCTV footage of a fire in a Seoul subway carriage.

Terrifying incident as ‘furious divorcee’ sets fire to rush hour subway train after pouring petrol, engulfing commuters in flames

THIS is the terrifying moment an “angry divorcee” flooded a packed tube…

Enigmatic Abandoned Maldives Resort: Eerie Decay of Villas, Murky Pools, and Dusty Massage Tables Unveiled

AN ABANDONED luxury resort rotting away in the Maldives with derelict villas…