Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player and the 2022 NCAA woman of the year, tragically died in a plane crash in upstate New York along with her family members. The twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B crashed in a muddy field in Copake, New York, killing all on board. The pilot had radioed air traffic control for a new approach plan before the crash, and investigators obtained video footage showing the aircraft crashing at a high rate of descent.
The victims included Groff, her neuroscientist father, urogynecologist mother, brother, his partner, and Groff's boyfriend. Groff, an All-American soccer player and biomedical engineering student, co-founded openPPE during the pandemic and was recognized with the NCAA woman of the year award in 2023. She had moved to Manhattan with her boyfriend, where she was attending medical school while he worked for a hedge fund.
The family departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains and were headed to Columbia County Airport before the crash occurred. The plane was equipped with upgraded technology certified to FAA standards. The NTSB is investigating the crash site, and a full accident report is expected to take between 12 to 24 months to complete.