Plane Crash That Killed NJ Doctor, Daughter, Granddaughter Happened Seconds After Takeoff, Authorities Say

LAKE CLEAR, NY — A plane crash in upstate New York that killed a Toms River doctor, his daughter and granddaughter happened less than a minute after the plane took off, investigators say.

The preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board also indicated the 1976 Piper/Smith Aerostar had not climbed to the prescribed altitude for the runway it was departing from at Adirondack Regional Airport in Harrietstown, New York, when it crashed July 13.

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The report comes as family members were set to lay to rest Gabriele P. Jasper, 70, Gabriella M. Hillgrube, 33, and 2-year-old Guiliana M. Hillgrube, during funeral services on Friday, according to their obituaries on the Silverton Memorial Funeral Home website.

A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help Gabriella's husband, Tyler, and the couple's 4-year-old son, Gabriel James, called Gabriella the heart of her family who was "known for her kindness, devotion, and unwavering commitment to a brighter future."

Gabriella was studying to become a sonographer and worked hard to balance the demands of school and motherhood, Gianna Valente, who created the campaign, wrote. "Her strength and commitment to her family were truly inspiring."

"Giuliana brought joy and laughter to everyone she met — her life full of promise and happiness," Valente wrote.

Jasper, a renowned spine and pain specialist, had flown from Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall to Adirondack Regional Airport earlier on the evening of July 13 to pick up Gabriella and Guiliana to bring them back to New Jersey, the NTSB report said.

Jasper took off for the return flight at 10:35:45 p.m., according to third-party commercial flight tracker data, the NTSB said.

"The last target was recorded 46 seconds later, at 22:36:31, indicating a location about 1 mile from the departure end of the runway," the report said. It said the plane reached 125 feet above the ground before descending and leveling off at 75 feet for the last 12 seconds of the flight.

The NTSB report said takeoff minimums for runway 23 at Adirondack Regional Airport include instructions to climb 316 feet for every 1 nautical mile traveled, to ensure obstacle clearance, or perform a visual climb over the airport to 2,500 ft msl.

The sound of the crash was captured on home security video near the crash site, the NTSB said, with "an engine sound at 22:36, followed by the sound of collision with trees."

The plane was destroyed by the crash and a fire that happened after impact, the NTSB said, and debris was scattered for about a half-mile. The investigators were retaining the wreckage for further examination, the report said.

Jasper had reported more than 1,000 hours of flight experience in December, when he applied for a FAA third-class medical certificate, the report said. The certificate is the baseline health requirement for student, recreational, and private pilots, according to the FAA website. It consists of an online medical history review, a basic physical assessing vision, hearing, cardiovascular health, and mental fitness, and a routine urinalysis.

Jasper had more than 100 hours of nighttime flying experience when he obtained an instrument rating in October 2024, which certifies a pilot's knowledge and skills, the NTSB report said.

The plane, which had an annual inspection in February, had more than 4,000 hours of flight time, the NTSB said. It had undergone a major overhaul that included engine replacements, with the left engine having 79 flight hours and the right 780 flight hours since the overhaul. The report did not give the date of the overhaul.