The Gulfstream G200 had no passengers aboard and was headed to Austin, Texas.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — Two U.S. pilots died Sunday when a private jet crashed while trying to return to La Romana International Airport after reporting an emergency shortly after takeoff, Dominican aviation officials said.
The crash killed the only people aboard the U.S.-registered Gulfstream G200, identified in local reports as pilot Erick Javier Diago and co-pilot Ruddy Ghazal. The flight was bound for Austin, Texas, and was later linked by former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina to planned travel for him, his family and friends. Dominican authorities said the cause remains under investigation.
The aircraft, listed by officials as a privately operated Gulfstream 200 with registration N318JF, departed La Romana on Sunday before declaring an emergency about 16 nautical miles southwest of the airport, according to the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation. Officials said the crew tried to return to the airport but the jet crashed during the emergency sequence. No passengers were reported aboard. Molina said in a social media post that the aircraft was headed to pick up him, his family and friends for a trip to Puerto Rico. “I am deeply saddened,” Molina said, expressing condolences to the families of the crew members.
Video from the airport area showed the jet striking the ground and bursting into flames as smoke rose over the runway area. Airport officials said emergency crews responded under the airport’s emergency plan, with firefighters and other agencies moving to the scene after the crash. The aircraft was reported to have come down while trying to return to La Romana after the crew reported trouble. Authorities did not immediately release a final account of the aircraft’s speed, altitude or exact mechanical condition before impact. The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation said preliminary information showed the aircraft was registered to an executive aviation company.
The crash drew wider attention because of the connection to Molina, a Puerto Rican baseball figure who spent his 19-year major league career with the Cardinals. Molina retired after the 2022 season as a 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and nine-time Gold Glove winner. Reports from Texas said Molina had been in Austin for family reasons tied to his son’s baseball activities. The aircraft’s planned stop in Texas placed the crash in a cross-Caribbean travel route linking Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the United States. Officials have not said whether the intended passengers had any role in arranging the aircraft beyond the planned transport.
The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation said it is working with the Aviation Accident Investigation Commission to determine what caused the crash. Investigators are expected to review flight data, radio communications, maintenance records, weather conditions and airport response reports. The agency said the aircraft declared an emergency before returning toward La Romana, but it did not announce a final cause. No charges or enforcement actions had been announced by Monday. Because the aircraft carried a U.S. registration and the dead crew members were U.S. citizens, U.S. aviation authorities could also be involved or consulted as the inquiry develops.
La Romana International Airport, on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast, serves tourist, private and commercial traffic in one of the country’s main resort regions. The crash briefly disrupted airport operations as crews secured the scene and worked through recovery steps. Local officials and airport personnel expressed condolences to the families of Diago and Ghazal. Images from the scene showed burned wreckage near airport pavement, with emergency vehicles nearby. Investigators had not publicly confirmed whether the jet suffered an engine failure, another mechanical issue or a control problem. Officials said those details remain part of the open investigation.
The investigation remained active Monday, June 8, with Dominican aviation officials saying further findings will depend on technical review. The next major update is expected from aviation investigators after records and wreckage from the Gulfstream G200 are examined.
Author note: Last updated June 9, 2026.