Search Is On For Missing Part

Ah, it must be spring... as airplanes seem to be shedding parts in the warmer weather.

Two days after a US Airways Boeing 757 lost a wing inspection panel over Maryland, a Bombardier Challenger (type shown above) made haste back to Colorado's Grand Junction Regional Airport after the cabin door apparently fell off the aircraft shortly after takeoff Monday afternoon.

According to the FAA Preliminary Report (below,) the aircraft entered downwind for Runway 29 at the airport, squawking 7700. Tower controllers were apparently caught a bit off guard at first, but things became clearer when "as [the plane] rolled past, the tower noticed the main cabin door was missing," as the FAA dryly notes.

KREX-5 reports the aircraft landed safely, and no one onboard was injured. The incident aircraft is N213TS, registered to WFP Investments LLC.

Investigators are now attempting to locate the door, which fell somewhere in the vicinity of the airport.

IDENTIFICATION:

  Regis#: 213TS        Make/Model: CL60      Description: CL-600/601/604 Challenger (CC-144, CE-14
  Date: 03/24/2008     Time: 2152

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: GRAND JUNCTION   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GRAND JUNCTION VFR AND THEN ENTERED A DOWNWIND SQUAWKING
  7700. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED BASE AND LANDED RUNWAY 29, AS THEY ROLLED PAST,
  THE TOWER NOTICED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS MISSING, GRAND JUNCTION, CO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: METAR VRB 03K 10 CLR 17/M13 A3003

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SALT LAKE CITY, UT  (NM07)            Entry date: 03/25/2008
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Standing      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: MEMPHIS, TN  (SO25)                   Entry date: 03/24/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov