La Romana Plane Crash: Two U.S. Pilots Killed in Gulfstream Emergency

Two U.S. pilots were killed Sunday when a U.S.-registered business jet crashed and erupted into flames during an emergency return to La Romana International Airport (MDLR) in the Dominican Republic.

The aircraft, a Gulfstream GALX registered as N318JF, had departed the airport bound for Austin, Texas, on a positioning leg to collect former MLB All-Star Yadier Molina and his party. According to flight tracking data and reports from the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC), the crew declared an emergency approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of the airport. After executing a go-around on the first approach, the crew attempted a second approach from the opposite direction.

Witnesses and security footage indicate the aircraft touched down at high speed, causing the landing gear to collapse. The jet subsequently veered off the runway and burst into flames, killing both pilots, identified as Erick Javier Diago and Ruddy Ghaza. No passengers were on board at the time of the accident.

Investigation Underway

Dominican authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, focusing on the aircraft's final approach speed and potential systems failures. Because the aircraft was U.S.-registered, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to participate as an accredited representative under ICAO Annex 13, although the Dominican Republic retains primary jurisdiction.

This crash has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the intended passengers, though officials confirm Molina and his family were never on the aircraft. Investigators are now working to recover flight data and cockpit voice recorders to determine the nature of the emergency.