Two Pilots Killed in Gulfstream G200 Emergency Landing Crash in Dominican Republic

Two U.S. pilots were killed Sunday, June 7, 2026, when a Gulfstream G200, registration N318JF, crashed during an attempted emergency landing at La Romana International Airport (LRM/MDLR) in the Dominican Republic. The aircraft, operated by Aibonito Aviation LLC, was destroyed by a post-crash fire.

According to the Aviation Safety Network (ASN), there were no passengers on board the flight, which was a positioning trip from La Romana to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas.

Flight data and reports from the Instituto Dominicano de Aviación Civil (IDAC) indicate the crew declared an emergency approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of the airport shortly after takeoff from runway 11. ADS-B data shows the aircraft initially attempted to line up for runway 11 before performing a go-around and circling northwest of the airfield. The aircraft eventually attempted an emergency landing on runway 29.

Weather data at the time of the accident, approximately 20:10 UTC, showed a tailwind component of roughly 8.7 knots.

Video evidence of the sequence shows the aircraft landing hard and veering to the left. The main undercarriage collapsed as the jet slid into the grass adjacent to the runway, causing the No. 1 engine to separate from the fuselage. The aircraft subsequently burst into flames after the wing fuel tanks ruptured. Dominican officials confirmed there were no casualties on the ground.

Former MLB star Yadier Molina stated the aircraft was scheduled to pick up him and his family in Austin for a trip to Puerto Rico.

The cause of the mechanical emergency remains under investigation by Dominican authorities, with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expected to provide assistance due to the aircraft's U.S. registration.