Republic Airport

Republic Airport Fire Rescue Company Logo

ARFF Crash Trucks Rescue 3 and Rescue 4

Republic Airport has a full-time Index A ARFF team located at the main headquarters and terminal building. The airport has two crash trucks (Rescue 3 and 4), and a support vehicle pickup truck (Rescue 1). The airport is also served by the East Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Company and Village of Farmingdale Fire Department when mutual aid is requested.

Republic Airport ARFF truck responds to a plane crash in a local neighborhood.

Republic Airport Fire Rescue also responds to aviation incidents in the general vicinity outside of the airport.[13]

Lear Jet 25, N428JX, Incident occurred July 3, 1975[45]

Takeoff was aborted but the Learjet continued off the runway with both engines at or near takeoff power. The airplane collided with trees.

Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II, N220KC, Incident occurred August 17, 1993 (KFRG)[46]

While approaching runway 02, the crew forgot to lower the landing gear. The circuit breaker for the gear warning horn had been pulled at some previous flights by other crew to prevent it from sounding during a high speed descent.

Propeller blades contacted the runway at a speed of 96 knots. When the crew tried to perform a go-around, the speed had dropped 10 knots. The aircraft cleared a stone wall, crashed into the water and sank into Connecticut River. Both crew members on board were pronounce deceased

Lear Jet 35A, N135PT, Incident occurred August 4, 2003 (KFRG)[47]

The flight departed Republic Airport about 06:10. About 5 miles west of Groton, the flightcrew advised the Providence Approach controller that they had made visual contact with the airport, and requested to cancel their IFR clearance. The controller acknowledged the request and terminated the clearance. The airplane entered the left downwind for runway 23 at Groton, at an altitude of 1,800 feet, and continued to descend. About 2.3 miles northeast of the runway, the airplane made a left turn onto base leg. About 1.5 miles from the runway, and south of the extended runway centerline, the airplane turned left, and back toward the right. When the airplane was about 1/8-mile south of the runway threshold, an approximate 60-degree right turn was made back toward the runway. The airplane crossed the runway at an altitude of 200 feet, and began a left turn towards the center of the airport. The turn continued, and the airplane re-entered a left downwind for the runway, about 1,100 feet south of the runway, at an altitude of 300 feet. According to eyewitnesses the airplane continued the left turn, increasing the bank angle to almost 90-degrees. As the airplane was turning final approach, it began to wobble from left to right, before contacting the rooftop of a single-story residential home about 1/4-mile northeast of the approach end of runway 23. The plane continued for about 800 feet through a small line of hardwood and evergreen trees, a second residential home, a second line of trees, a third residential home, down an embankment, and through a boardwalk, before coming to rest in the Poqonock River. The airplane was owned by JetPro and operated by Air East Management, according to NTSB and FAA data.

Lear Jet 25, N125FT: Incident occurred August 12, 2007 (KFRG)[48]

Sustained damage after encountering a hail storm. The airplane was withdrawn from use at Farmingdale and dismantled.

Cessna 650 Citation III N697MC: Incident occurred October 21, 2007 (KFRG)[49]

The first officer was flying the Area Navigation, GPS, approach to runway 22 at Atlantic City International Airport, NJ (ACY). During the approach, the airplane was initially fast as the first officer had increased engine power to compensate for wind conditions. Descending below the minimum descent altitude (MDA), the first officer momentarily deployed the speed brakes, but stowed them about 200 feet agl, and reduced the engine power to flight idle. The airplane became low and slow, and developed an excessive sink rate. The airplane subsequently landed hard on runway 22, which drove the right main landing gear into the right wing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar.

About the time of the accident, the recorded wind was from 190 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 24 knots; and the captain believed that the airplane had encountered windshear near the MDA, with the flaps fully extended. Review of air traffic control data revealed that no windshear advisories were contained in the automated terminal information system broadcasts. Although the local controller provided windshear advisories to prior landing aircraft, he did not provide one to the accident aircraft. Review of the airplane flight manual (AFM) revealed that deploying the speed brakes below 500 feet agl, with the flaps in any position other than the retracted position, was prohibited.

Cessna Grand Caravan N336DN: Incident occurred September 15, 2009 (KFRG)[50]

A Cessna 208, N336DN, operated by North American Flight Services Inc., experienced a loss of engine power while climbing and performed a forced landing in Sheffield, MA. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and the commercial-rated pilot and 5 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Farmingdale-Republic Field, NY (FRG), destined for the Saratoga Springs-Saratoga County Airport, NY. The five passengers were employees of an industrial services company. The flight transported blasting caps and ammonium nitrate used for blasting operations, which were stored in a metal box inside the airplane.

The pilot reported that the airplane departed FRG at 1405, and he initiated a climb to 9,000 feet without any abnormalities. As the airplane was climbing, and at an altitude of about 8,500 feet, the pilot heard two "whooshing" sounds, about 5 seconds apart. The engine then began to experience torque fluctuations. Shortly thereafter, the engine torque dropped to idle, and the pilot heard a "loud bang" and felt a "burst vibration."

The pilot declared an emergency to air traffic control and was told that the closest airport was located about 10 miles north, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The pilot informed air traffic control that the airplane would not be able to reach Great Barrington, and he subsequently performed a forced landing to a field.

During the landing, the airplane's right wing struck a tree and separated. All occupants exited the airplane without injury; however, the airplane became fully engulfed in fire, which consumed the majority of the airplane.

This Cessna 208 was the first production Caravan.

Raytheon Hawker 800XP, N412JA: Accident occurred December 20, 2020 (KFRG)[51]

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating after a  Raytheon Hawker 800XP landing gear collapsed at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale and the plane slid off the runway, federal officials said Monday.

The 2001 Raytheon Hawker 800XP operated by Talon Air carried two crew members but no passengers at the time of the Sunday night mishap, Talon Air spokeswoman Lisa Hendrickson said. According to records, the jet can seat 15, but Talon Air said this particular plane seats just eight.

Records confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration show the flight departed Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport at 6:16 p.m. Sunday and arrived at Republic at about 8:35 p.m. According to Suffolk County police, the landing gear on the jet had "failed to deploy," but the FAA said in a statement Monday that the jet "experienced nose and main gear collapse" upon landing at Republic.

It was not immediately clear if the crew had any indication of a gear problem before landing — or if they declared an emergency before the incident.

The names of the pilots have not been released.

The plane landed at 8:35 p.m. and someone aboard radioed: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday Talon Air 941 crash-landing runway 1-4, we're still occupying, send vehicles out," according to the Aviation Safety Network's website.

Police said First Precinct officers responded to the airport shortly before 9 p.m. for a report that a small plane landed off the runway. The two occupants were transported to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said.

East Farmingdale Fire Department Chief Duane Welliver said the plane "crashed on landing and slid across the runway. We don’t have any details on what caused the crash."[52]

Cessna 152, N64949: Incident occurred February 15, 2022 (KFRG)[53]

Aircraft landed and veered off runway into the grass damaging a runway light.[54]