La Derecha Diario A small-scale plane crashed in the state of New York
In the third incident over the weekend, a small plane crashed in a field in the northern part of the state and the FAA is under scrutiny
A tragic plane crash occurred on Saturday in a muddy field in Copake, in upstate New York, leaving six people dead. The ill-fated plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 twin-engine, was headed to Columbia County Airport in Hudson but crashed about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Albany, near the Massachusetts border.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the small private plane disappeared from radar after the pilot informed the control tower that he had failed in his initial approach and requested to make a second one.
At that moment, controllers issued a low altitude alert before losing all contact with the aircraft. Minutes later, the plane plummeted into an open field that was difficult to access due to the muddy terrain.
Local authorities, including officers from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, replied quickly to emergency calls made around noon.
Deputy Jacqueline Salvatore confirmed that the crash was fatal, although she initially avoided specifying the number of victims. Later, on Sunday afternoon, it was revealed that all six people on board had died.
Among the victims was the Groff family from Massachusetts, consisting of neuroscientist and experienced pilot Michael Groff, his wife Joy Saini, a urologist, their children Karenna and Jared, and their respective partners: James Sontoro and Alexia Couyutas Duarte. The couple's third daughter, Anika, was not on the plane and is the only direct survivor of the family.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent a team of investigators to the crash site on Saturday night, and they continue to investigate to determine the exact causes of the accident.
In a statement issued by the surviving family members, they expressed their grief over the loss: "We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic, and loving people they were." The academic, medical, and sports communities have also deeply mourned this tragedy that extinguished lives with enormous potential.
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