Key Takeaways:
– A Diamond DA40 small plane lost its rear door mid-flight near Buffalo, managed a safe landing at the local airport.
– Two occupants were involved, neither of whom were injured in the incident.
– Authorities are yet to find the missing door, despite thorough searching of Stiglmeier Park.
– Neither air nor ground injuries were reported from the mishap.
– The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident.
– The event follows a similar incident in January in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 lost a door plug mid-flight.
The Sky Opens Up
In an unusual event, a single-engine Diamond DA40 private plane lost its rear door mid-flight over Stiglmeier Park, east of Cheektowaga on Monday, as reported by NBC News. Despite the mid-air mishap, the pilot managed to navigate a safe landing at the nearby Buffalo-Niagara International Airport located also in Cheektowaga, merely 3 miles north of the park.
Onboard Communication Sparks Alert
“We have an emergency, we’re heading back,” declared the pilot to air traffic controllers, as caught in audio recordings provided by local CBS affiliate WIVB. When asked about the nature of the emergency, the pilot responded with a succinct, “We lost our rear door.”
Missing Door’s Search Still Underway
Authorities have been diligently conducting a search since Monday night and into Tuesday morning throughout Stiglmeier Park. However, despite their efforts, the missing door remains elusive. The incident, fortunately, resulted in no injuries either in the air or on the ground.
Investigation by the FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the peculiar mishap. This recent event echoes a similar one that occurred a month prior involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 which lost a door plug at 16,000 feet in mid-flight. That flight, originating from Portland, Oregon, also managed to return safely to its departure point.
Past Mid-Air Incidents Trigger Response
The January incident prompted a response from the FAA which resulted in the grounding of nearly 200 similar aircraft for inspection. Many of those have since been rehabilitated and returned to service. Further investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into the earlier mishap revealed that all four bolts normally used to secure the door plug were missing, as revealed in an initial report.
These incidents highlight potential vulnerabilities in aircraft designs and underscore the need for stringent safety protocols in aviation. Whether the Buffalo incident constitutes an alarming trend or an isolated case remains to be determined upon completion of the ongoing investigation by the FAA. The stakeholders eagerly await clarity on the matter to prevent future occurrences of such nature.