La Romana, Dominican Republic: Two crew members were killed after a private jet crashed while attempting an emergency landing at La Romana International Airport in the Dominican Republic on June 7, authorities confirmed.
According to the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), the aircraft involved was a U.S.-registered Gulfstream G200 executive jet operating a flight from La Romana to Austin, Texas. The aircraft was carrying only the pilot and co-pilot, with no passengers onboard.
Preliminary information indicates the flight experienced a technical problem shortly after departure and requested to return to La Romana International Airport. Reports from local authorities suggest the crew declared an emergency while the aircraft was approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of the airport before turning back toward the airfield.
Video footage circulating on social media shows the jet touching down during the emergency landing attempt before skidding along the runway. The aircraft then appeared to bounce and veer out of control before erupting into a large fireball. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed much of the aircraft.
Both crew members sustained fatal injuries. Authorities have not yet publicly released their identities.
Emergency response teams, including airport firefighters and rescue personnel, were dispatched immediately to the scene. Airport operations were temporarily suspended while emergency crews worked at the crash site and investigators began documenting evidence.
Initial statements from officials indicate the aircraft encountered a malfunction before the attempted landing. Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety Secretary Arturo Garffer told local media that the aircraft had experienced problems during the landing phase, though he stressed that information remains preliminary pending a full investigation.
The aircraft reportedly came down within the airport perimeter after losing stability during the emergency landing sequence. Images and video from the scene showed extensive fire damage and wreckage scattered near the runway area.
The Gulfstream G200 is a twin-engine business jet capable of carrying between eight and 18 occupants depending on cabin configuration. The Dominican Civil Aviation Board and IDAC have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, flight data, communications with air traffic control, and the circumstances surrounding the reported malfunction.
At the time of publication, authorities had not released the aircraft registration number, the names of the crew members, or any preliminary findings regarding the cause of the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
