No one was injured when a single-engine plane that took off from Farmingdale's made an emergency landing off of Rockaway Beach Monday night, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
While the plane left from Farmingdale, the plane was not based at Republic, airport spokesman Gary Lewi said.
The Piper PA28 model plane landed near Beach 56th Street at around 7 p.m., after its pilot and two passengers - who the media has identified as James Maloney, 24, Clarke Oler, 22, and Chelsea Protter, 21 - reported the engine was "running rough," the FAA said.
According to the recorded air traffic transmissions, the pilot was in conversations with JFK airport, before requesting to make "a precautionary landing" due to a sick passenger and issues with the engine.
The plane was headed west from Farmingdale, but the destination is unknown at this time. Pilots are not required to submit flight plans, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said.
The FAA is investigating the circumstances of the landing and sent several inspectors to the scene last night to examine the engine.
