Delta Flight Landed Without Issue at Raleigh-Durham International

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-900ER lost part of its left wing flap during approach to Raleigh-Durham International Airport early on the morning of July 2. The detached piece, part of the aircraft's trailing edge, was later found parked in front of a driveway in a residential neighborhood.

Delta Flight 3247, operating from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, landed safely at around 1:15 am on July 2 with 109 passengers and six crew members on board. The crew had no idea that their aircraft was missing a pretty large piece until they landed and completed a post-flight inspection.

At approximately 8:30 am, Raleigh police responded to a call from a homeowner on Banbury Road reporting an unusual object in their driveway. Authorities confirmed the item was an aircraft flap, and the FAA tentatively linked it to the Delta flight. No injuries or property damage were reported.

Delta spokesperson Samantha Facteau acknowledged the in-flight separation of the part and indicated that the airline is ready to take responsibility.

“Delta is fully supporting retrieval efforts and will cooperate with investigations as nothing is more important than safety,” she stated.

The FAA is currently investigating how the component detached and whether it poses a broader risk for other aircraft of the same type. The part was removed from the driveway around noon.

Locals expressed some concern over the potential danger. “It’s amazing when you consider it’s such a dense neighborhood,” said a nearby worker. “We really dodged a bullet on this one.”

FMI: www.delta.com