Tragic Gulfstream GIV-SP Crash in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
December 16, 2021
What Happened
Nine people were killed on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, when a chartered Gulfstream GIV-SP airplane crashed shortly after take off from La Isabela International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The Gulfstream jet was headed to Orlando, Florida when it began to experience problems soon after take off. Among those killed in this tragic plane crash were 6 Americans including music producer Jose Angel Hernandez, known as “Flow La Movie”, 38, his wife Debbie Von Marie Jimenez Garcia, 31 and their 4-year-old son Jayden Hernandez. Also killed were passengers Keilyan Hernandez Pena, 21, Yeilianys Jeishlimar Meléndez Jiménez, 18, and Jesiel Yabdiel Silva, 13. Three crew members were also killed including pilot Luis Alberto Eljuri Tancredo, 47, co-pilot Emilio Herrera, 32, and flight attendant Veronica Estrella, 26, daughter of the nephew of the current President of the Senate in the Dominican Republic, Eduardo Estrella.
The chartered Gulfstream IV airplane, tail number HI1050, was owned and operated by Helidosa Aviation Group out of the Dominican Republic.
In the Media
According to the Aviation Safety Network “the pilot reported an unspecified issue shortly after takeoff from Higuero, which led to the emergency diversion to Santo Domingo” where a post crash fire occurred.
Preliminary Investigation
Officials are investigating the cause of the crash. While the director of the Air Accidents Investigative Commission (the aviation accident investigation authority of the Dominican Republic) shared that it is too soon to determine the cause of the accident, a Daily Mail article reported that Deputy Director of the Fire Department, Kai Schenhals indicated that “the aircraft appeared to have taken off while damaged.”
Kreindler Gulfstream Crash Cases
Kreindler attorneys have handled numerous crash cases involving Gulfstream aircraft including the 2014 fatal crash of a Gulfstream GIV jet in Bedford, Massachusetts that killed 7 people.
Kreindler’s Entertainment & Political Industry Experience
Kreindler’s aviation accident cases include numerous cases affecting the entertainment industry. In addition to representing the family of musician Aaliyah, who was tragically killed as the result of a 2001 Cessna chartered plane crash in the Bahamas, our experience includes cases involving the production company of Titanic director James Cameron, the production company from the filming of the Tom Cruise movie, American Made, and a case involving the the sister of film director Steven Spielberg in which Kreindler achieved the highest award ever for victims of severe turbulence during a flight.
Kreindler attorneys have also played a prominent role in fatal aviation accident cases involving high profile political figures, including U.S. Senator John Heinz, U.S. Senator Ted Stevens and Gustavo Alberto Vázquez Montes, Governor of Colima, Mexico.
About Kreindler & Kreindler
Kreindler is the preeminent aviation accident law firm in the world. Our attorneys have been appointed leading counsel in nearly every major commercial airline disaster case in the U.S. and abroad. Since 1950, we have fought diligently to achieve a record of success in resolving plane and helicopter crash cases on behalf of our clients. Kreindler has law offices in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.