Authorities recovered the cockpit door of a small plane Saturday evening after it detached mid-flight and fell into a farm field near Purcellville. No injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. Saturday, April 5, when a two-seater, fixed-wing single-engine aircraft experienced a mechanical failure that caused the cockpit door to rip off while in flight near the Round Hill area of Loudoun County.
The pilot, Daniel O’Brien, 63, was able to safely land the plane at Leesburg Executive Airport without injury.
Virginia State Police, with assistance from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene and began searching for the missing cockpit door, which was described as white with maroon markings and measuring approximately 3 ½ feet long by 2 ½ feet wide.
Investigators located the door later that evening in a nearby farm field. Authorities had previously urged the public not to touch the door if found and to report its location to police.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified and are assisting in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
All photos courtesy of Virignia State Police.
