Fatal Plane Crash That Claimed NJ Doctor and Family Happened Just Seconds After Takeoff

NJ Doctor, Daughter and Granddaughter Killed in Plane Crash Moments After Takeoff, Officials Say

Fatal Plane Crash That Claimed NJ Doctor and Family Happened Just Seconds After Takeoff

Gabriele Jasper, his daughter Gabriella, and his 2-year-old granddaughter Guiliana were among those killed in the July 13 plane crash in upstate New York.

A plane crash in upstate New York that claimed the lives of a Toms River doctor, his daughter, and his young granddaughter occurred less than a minute after takeoff, according to investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report found that the 1976 Piper/Smith Aerostar aircraft failed to reach the required altitude for the departing runway at Adirondack Regional Airport in Harrietstown, New York, before crashing on July 13.

A GoFundMe campaign created to support Gabriella’s husband, Tyler, and their 4-year-old son, Gabriel James, described Gabriella as the “heart of her family,” highlighting her kindness, dedication, and commitment to building a better future for those she loved.

According to campaign organizer Gianna Valente, Gabriella was pursuing a career as a sonographer while working hard to balance the challenges of school and motherhood. She wrote that Gabriella’s strength, determination, and devotion to her family were an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

Gabriele Jasper, a well-known spine and pain specialist, had traveled from Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall to Adirondack Regional Airport earlier on the evening of July 13 to pick up his daughter Gabriella and granddaughter Guiliana for their flight back to New Jersey, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.

The NTSB said Jasper departed Adirondack Regional Airport for the return trip at 10:35:45 p.m., based on data from a third-party commercial flight tracking service.

Investigators reported that the final flight tracking data was recorded 46 seconds after takeoff, at 10:36:31 p.m., showing the aircraft about one mile beyond the departure end of the runway. The plane climbed to approximately 125 feet above ground level before descending and leveling off at about 75 feet during the final 12 seconds of the flight.

The report noted that takeoff procedures for Runway 23 at Adirondack Regional Airport require aircraft to climb 316 feet for every nautical mile traveled to clear surrounding obstacles, or complete a visual climb over the airport to 2,500 feet mean sea level.

The NTSB said audio from a nearby home security camera captured the sound of the crash, recording an engine noise at approximately 10:36 p.m., followed by the sound of the aircraft striking trees.

The plane was destroyed by the impact and a post-crash fire, according to investigators. Debris from the aircraft was spread across an area measuring about a half-mile. The wreckage has been secured by investigators for additional examination as the investigation continues.