Two pilots killed in plane crash en route to pick up former MLB star

An executive jet headed to Texas to pick up a former MLB star burst into flames Sunday during a rough landing, killing both pilots on board.

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

The plane had just taken off from La Romana International Airport in the Dominican Republic with no passengers and was headed to Austin to pick up former MLB star Yadier Molina and his family. A few minutes into the flight, the pilots declared an in-flight emergency and turned back to attempt a landing.

Video of the incident posted to X shows the jet skidding on the runway during landing before the nose of the plane bucks upward. When the plane’s nose falls back toward the runway, the plane catches fire and goes up in flames.

The Dominican Institute for Civil Aviation said in a statement that the airplane declared an emergency when it was about 16 nautical miles southwest of La Romana.

“The U.S.-registered aircraft, registered to an American aviation company, had two crew members aboard—the pilot and co-pilot. There were no passengers reported,” the agency said.

Pilot Erick Javier Diago and co-pilot Ruddy Ghaza both lost their lives in the accident, La Romana International Airport said in a statement.

“The crew declared an in-flight emergency shortly after takeoff; the aircraft crashed while attempting to land back at La Romana Airport, veering off the runway. Tragically, both occupants lost their lives,” the airport said.

The Dominican Institute for Civil Aviation and the Investigative Commission for Aviation Accidents said they are investigating the crash involving aircraft tail number N318JF, model GALX, which occurred on Sunday. Officials said more information would be released as the investigation continues.

According to People , Molina posted a series of Instagram stories that have since expired.

“My condolences to the pilots and their families,” Molina wrote. “This plane was on its way to pick up me, my family, and friends in Texas to return to Puerto Rico. This is all so heartbreaking.”