sidman
9th Jan 2007, 02:31
Jet loses door
Piece falls after Travis takeoff
By Kimberly K. Fu/Staff Writer
Article Launched: 01/08/2007 06:13:09 AM PST
Pieces of an aircraft door sit in a bay at the CHP's Fairfield office after being found in a residential neighborhood in Cordelia. The incident is under iinvestigation. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter) When a Boeing 747 departed from Fairfield Sunday afternoon, it literally left a piece of itself behind.
At 12:13 p.m., the civilian aircraft took off from an airstrip at Travis Air Force Base.
Moments later, local authorities began receiving phone calls.
"As it was flying away, people saw something fall off the plane and reported it," said Lt. Lindsey Hahn, a Travis spokeswoman.
Around 12:45 p.m., Fairfield police and the California Highway Patrol responded to the 3600 block of Ritchie Road in Cordelia. Officers found what appeared to be a cargo door covered in hydraulic fluid.
Seems a resident discovered the 4-by-8-foot metal piece, described as a landing gear bay door, in his driveway, which is adjacent to the old Green Valley Middle School. Federal Aviation Administration officials were notified but said they were unable to claim the airplane door until the following day, according to the CHP, so CHP officials brought the item to their Travis Boulevard headquarters for storage.
The absence of the white door, emblazoned with the term "747," apparently had no effect on the plane's trip.
And, no injuries were reported.
"It flew to LAX to be inspected," Hahn advised. "What will happen is the FAA will
inspect the door and the plane and will determine if the door does belong to the plane."
Kimberly K. Fu can be reached at [email protected].
Piece falls after Travis takeoff
By Kimberly K. Fu/Staff Writer
Article Launched: 01/08/2007 06:13:09 AM PST
Pieces of an aircraft door sit in a bay at the CHP's Fairfield office after being found in a residential neighborhood in Cordelia. The incident is under iinvestigation. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter) When a Boeing 747 departed from Fairfield Sunday afternoon, it literally left a piece of itself behind.
At 12:13 p.m., the civilian aircraft took off from an airstrip at Travis Air Force Base.
Moments later, local authorities began receiving phone calls.
"As it was flying away, people saw something fall off the plane and reported it," said Lt. Lindsey Hahn, a Travis spokeswoman.
Around 12:45 p.m., Fairfield police and the California Highway Patrol responded to the 3600 block of Ritchie Road in Cordelia. Officers found what appeared to be a cargo door covered in hydraulic fluid.
Seems a resident discovered the 4-by-8-foot metal piece, described as a landing gear bay door, in his driveway, which is adjacent to the old Green Valley Middle School. Federal Aviation Administration officials were notified but said they were unable to claim the airplane door until the following day, according to the CHP, so CHP officials brought the item to their Travis Boulevard headquarters for storage.
The absence of the white door, emblazoned with the term "747," apparently had no effect on the plane's trip.
And, no injuries were reported.
"It flew to LAX to be inspected," Hahn advised. "What will happen is the FAA will
inspect the door and the plane and will determine if the door does belong to the plane."
Kimberly K. Fu can be reached at [email protected].