A family trip ended in tragedy late Monday in the Adirondacks, when a Toms River grandfather, his adult daughter and his 2-year-old granddaughter were killed in a small-plane crash shortly after takeoff from the Saranac Lake airport. Local officials said all three were pronounced dead at the scene in a remote stretch of woods north of the airfield.
What happened
The twin-engine 1976 Piper Aerostar took off from Adirondack Regional Airport at about 10:36 p.m. on July 13 and lost communication when it was an estimated 100 feet above the ground, according to the New York State Police. Search crews later found the wreckage along with a post-crash fire near Hearf's Way and New York State Route 186, in dense woods north of the airport.
State Police said troopers homed in on the crash site after spotting a small fire in the area. They were joined at the scene by local fire departments, the Saranac Lake Police Department and DEC Forest Rangers as crews worked through the night.
Victims identified
Authorities later identified the victims as Gabriele P. Jasper, 70, of Toms River; his daughter, Gabriella M. Hillgrube, 33, of Forked River; and his granddaughter, Guiliana M. Hillgrube, 2, also of Forked River, according to the Times Union.
Records show the airplane was registered to Jasper Air LLC. Dr. Jasper founded the Jasper Spine Institute in Brick, N.J., where he practiced pain medicine and built an extensive professional profile.
Investigation under way
The National Transportation Safety Board responded to the crash site and is leading the investigation, State Police said. The agency is expected to review the aircraft, radar data, communications and any available weather and maintenance records before releasing a final report, a process that typically takes months.
Pilot's background
Dr. Jasper was a pain-medicine physician who ran the Jasper Spine Institute and maintained a lengthy online biography through the clinic. Local reporters also noted a social-media photo posted earlier this month that showed Jasper piloting a plane with Gabriella Hillgrube’s husband as a passenger; investigators have not linked that post to the cause of the crash, according to Daily Voice.
A preliminary accident notice filed on July 14 lists the aircraft as destroyed and confirms three fatalities, according to the FAA. Officials have cautioned that the cause of the crash will not be known until the NTSB completes its full analysis, and the investigation remains active.
