Door falls off plane midflight over New York, forces emergency landing in Buffalo

Transportation authorities reported that a plane safely landed at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York on Monday after losing its door midflight.

The single-engine Diamond DA40 aircraft, with two people on board, touched down around 5:30 p.m. following the pilot’s report of losing the left rear passenger door, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The incident occurred over Cheektowaga, a Buffalo suburb, a few miles south of the airport.

In an audio recording, the pilot informed air traffic controllers of the emergency, stating, “We have an emergency; we’re heading back.”

When pressed to specify the nature of the emergency, the pilot clarified, “We lost our rear door,” NBC News reported.

There were no reported injuries or property damage, and authorities are conducting a search for the missing door. The FAA is currently investigating the incident.

As of now, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the Cheektowaga Police Department have not responded to requests for comment from NBC News.

Written by B.C. Begley