HARRIETSTOWN, N.Y. – New York State Police have identified the three people killed when a small plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Adirondack Regional Airport late Monday night.
Investigators said the pilot was Dr. Gabriele P. Jasper, 70, of Toms River, New Jersey. The passengers were identified as Gabriella M. Hillgrube, 33, of Forked River, New Jersey, and Guiliana M. Hillgrube, 2, of Forked River. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Jasper owned Jasper Pain Institute.
Aircraft crashed minutes after departure
According to the New York State Police, troopers were notified of a downed aircraft at approximately 11:15 p.m. in the area of Hearf’s Way and State Route 186, near Adirondack Regional Airport in the Town of Harrietstown.
A multi-agency search determined the aircraft, a 1976 Piper Aerostar, had departed the airport at approximately 10:36 p.m. Shortly after takeoff, when the plane was estimated to be about 100 feet above the ground, communication with the aircraft was lost.
Search crews later located the wreckage, which had been destroyed by the impact and a post-crash fire.
Federal investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration and the New York State Police.
Authorities have not released a preliminary cause of the crash, and investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight records, weather conditions, and other evidence as part of the investigation.
Why it matters
The crash claimed the lives of three New Jersey residents, including a two-year-old child, and remains under investigation by federal aviation officials. The NTSB will determine the probable cause after completing its investigation, a process that can take months.
