Six dead after small plane crashes in upstate New York

A small plane crashed in upstate New York, killing all six people on board, officials said, coming just days after a helicopter plummeted into the Hudson River.

The Mitsubishi MU-2B was headed to Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York, when it crashed into an open field near Copake, a small town located about 20 miles southeast of the airport, around 12:15 p.m. local time on April 12, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The aircraft went down on Two Town Road near Copake and did not damage any structures, Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore said at a news conference.

There were no survivors of the crash, with all six being removed from the scene, National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman confirmed at a news conference on April 13. Inman said some of the victim's family members said the passengers included those traveling to the Columbia airport to visit relatives for a holiday celebration.

The New York Times and The Associated Press, citing a family statement, reported that the six victims included doctors, two of their children, and their children’s partners. The group was on a trip for a birthday celebration and the Passover holiday, according to the news organizations.

Among the victims were Karenna Groff; her father, Dr. Michael Groff; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini; her brother, Jared Groff; Alexia Couyutas Duarte, Jared Groff’s partner; and Karenna Groff’s boyfriend, James Santoro, the Times and AP reported.

Probable cause under investigation

Video obtained by officials showed that the aircraft was intact before crashing at a "high rate of descent into the ground," Inman said.

The probable cause of the crash is under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office also has launched its own investigation.

"Our mission is to understand not just what happened, but why it happened, and to provide recommendations for it not to happen again," Inman said.

Inman urged anyone with footage of the crash to email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.

"We are actively investigating a fatal plane crash on Two Town Road in the town of Copake, New York," Salvatore said. "We do not know what happened at this time."

Salvatore estimated that the investigation would take a "couple of days," noting that "accessibility was difficult" because the plane was in the middle of a muddy field. NTSB will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. ET April 13 to provide additional details about investigation.