Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Ocean County Doctor and His Family

Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Ocean County Doctor and His Family

A prominent Ocean County spine surgeon, his daughter, and his 2-year-old granddaughter were killed in a plane crash in upstate New York, according to authorities.

The victims were identified as 70-year-old Gabriele P. Jasper of Toms River, his 33-year-old daughter, Gabriella M. Hillgrube of Forked River, and her 2-year-old daughter, Guiliana M. Hillgrube. The crash occurred late Monday near Adirondack Regional Airport in Harrietstown, New York, the New York State Police said.

Investigators said the family departed the airport in a 1976 Piper Aerostar at approximately 10:36 p.m. Shortly after takeoff, while the aircraft was estimated to be about 100 feet above the ground, all communication with the plane was lost.

Dr. Gabriel Jasper, founder of the Jasper Spine Institute, was piloting the aircraft as he transported his daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter back to New Jersey.

New York State Police said they were alerted to a downed aircraft near Hearf's Way and State Route 186 at approximately 11:16 p.m. The crash site was located a short distance from the airport.

Search teams later found the wreckage, which authorities said had been heavily damaged by the impact and a fire that erupted after the crash.

New York State Police were assisted at the crash scene by the Saranac Lake Fire Department, the Saranac Lake Police Department, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into what caused the crash.

Dr. Gabriel Jasper, an anesthesiologist, founded the Jasper Spine Institute in Brick after developing a strong interest in helping patients suffering from chronic, debilitating pain, according to the institute's website.

He established the Center for Pain Control in 2002 and later expanded the practice with modern facilities in Brick and Milltown. In 2009, he opened the Jasper Ambulatory Surgical Center adjacent to the Brick location, allowing patients to undergo minimally invasive procedures on-site, the website states.

Posts shared on Jasper's public Facebook page show he frequently flew with his family to the Adirondack region and enjoyed aviation, fishing, and Formula 1 racing.

According to online records, Gabriella Hillgrube worked alongside her father at the Jasper Spine Institute. Her daughter, Guiliana, had celebrated her second birthday in June, as reflected in the family's social media posts.