In a surprising incident, a small plane flying near Buffalo experienced a major malfunction as its rear door suddenly detached while in flight on Monday evening. Thankfully, the aircraft, carrying two individuals, managed to safely land at Buffalo Niagara International Airport following the unnerving incident.

According to officials, the door fell off above the suburban area of Cheektowaga, but attempts to recover it were unsuccessful. Cheektowaga police confirmed that the location of the fallen door was believed to be in the vicinity of Stiglmeier Park in the town, yet it remained unrecovered at the time of reporting.

The incident occurred during a brief flight duration of just seven minutes, between 5:39 p.m. and 5:46 p.m., prompting the plane to promptly turn around and return to the same airport from where it had originally departed.

Local authorities, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have initiated an investigation into the cause of the door detachment. As of Tuesday morning, the search for the missing door was still ongoing.

This occurrence comes in the wake of a similar incident reported on January 5, during an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon. A door plug blew off midair, 16,000 feet above ground, on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. Investigation unveiled that the plane had been missing critical bolts that should have been installed by Boeing employees during its assembly at the factory. Following an internal investigation by the airline, it was discovered that several of their 737 MAX 9 planes had loose bolts, raising concerns about the aircraft's safety.

As the investigation into the door falling off the small plane near Buffalo continues, authorities are keen to uncover whether there are any underlying issues or similarities to the previous incident, particularly pertaining to the maintenance and assembly process of the aircraft involved.

Passenger safety remains paramount for the aviation industry, and incidents such as these serve as reminders of the rigorous maintenance and inspection protocols that must be followed to ensure a secure and reliable flying experience.