Gulfstream American CORP. G-1159A incident near Farmingdale, New York, March 10, 2010
On March 10, 2010 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Gulfstream American CORP. G-1159A, registered N155MM, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Farmingdale, New York (Republic Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Progressive cracking from an undetermined initiation source, which resulted in the failure of the No. 4 cabin window outer pane, and the subsequent foreign object ingestion to the right engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2010 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New York · Republic Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream American CORP. G-1159A
- Registration
- N155MM · registry record · serial 325
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command stated that while passing through 35,000 feet mean sea level, the flightcrew heard a sound similar to a compressor stall, followed by a loss of power to the right engine. He immediately declared an emergency with air traffic control and initiated the checklist items for engine shutdown in-flight. Shortly thereafter, the cabin service representative informed him that the No. 4 outer window pane on the right side of the airplane had separated. The flightcrew made a visual approach back to the departure airport and landed without further incident. A bore scope examination of the engine revealed that it had experienced a compressor stall and flamed out as a result of debris from the No. 4 outer window pane being ingested into the engine. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed that all required inspections had been conducted on the window and no anomalies were noted. Further examination of the window revealed fractures in the outer pane, which originated from an area of preexisting progressive cracking, emanating from the exterior surface of the window. The initial cause of the cracking could not be determined.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › Passenger compartment windows › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,037 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,741 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,885 hours in all; 4,245 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 13,139 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,513 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 7, 2010; 3,571 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 69,700 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc SPEY MK 511SR (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc SPEY MK 511SR (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Eastern Aviation Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 4:29 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 6,827 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from FRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.