Plane Door Falls Off Over New York

A small plane has landed safely in New York state after its rear door fell off mid-flight.

Police said the plane carrying two people landed at Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Monday.

The private plane lost the door as it flew over Stiglmeier Park in the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga, a few miles south of the airport, according to Cheektowaga Police.

It was in the air for a total of seven minutes, WKBW reporter Michael Schwartz said on X, formerly Twitter. It took off from the Buffalo airport at 5:39 p.m. before returning at 5:46 p.m., Schwartz said.

There were no reports of injuries or property damage on the ground, the Associated Press reported. Officers searched for the door but did not immediately find it.

Newsweek reached out to Cheektowaga Police for comment via email.

It comes after a Delta Airlines plane lost a front wheel as it was preparing for takeoff. That incident involving a Boeing aircraft occurred at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on January 20.

The flight "was taxiing for departure when a nose wheel tire came loose from the gear," an airline spokesperson told Newsweek at the time.

Boeing is facing intense scrutiny after an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing on January 5 when a panel called a door plug blew out of the side of the plane shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Boeing 737 MAX 9s in the United States the day after the blowout. The FAA approved an inspection process that would let airlines resume flying the planes in January, but said Boeing would not be allowed to expand production of the planes until it is satisfied that quality-control concerns have been addressed.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the January 5 accident, while the FAA is investigating whether Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems followed quality-control procedures.

Stock photo shows small plane
Stock photo of a small plane. A private plane carrying two people landed safely in New York after its rear door fell off mid-flight. iStock

Boeing has said it has taken action to strengthen quality and will support the FAA's investigation, audit, and oversight actions.

"Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened," Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a statement earlier this month.

"An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers.

"We are implementing a comprehensive plan to strengthen quality and the confidence of our stakeholders. It will take significant, demonstrated action and transparency at every turn – and that is where we are squarely focused."

Update 2/13/24, 9:38 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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