RALEIGH— A part of an aircraft’s wing flap landed in a residential driveway, triggering an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The component is confirmed to be from a Delta Air Lines (DL) flight that arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) on July 1, 2025.
The incident involved Delta Flight 3247, which departed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and landed safely at RDU. Delta later informed the FAA that a portion of the aircraft’s left wing flap was found missing during post-flight inspection
Photo: By Adam Moreira (AEMoreira042281) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79819656Delta 737 Loses Flap Part
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Raleigh Police Department (RPD) officers responded to a 911 call reporting a large metal object blocking a driveway on Banbury Road. The caller suspected it was part of an airplane.
Upon arrival, police assessed the scene and contacted the FAA for further investigation. There were no reports of an aircraft crash, damage, or injuries.
By midday, FAA investigators arrived and began examining the component. Soon after, Delta Air Lines (DL) contacted the FAA, stating that post-landing inspection of Flight 3247—a Boeing 737-900—revealed a missing section of the left wing’s trailing edge flap.
The aircraft had completed its flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Raleigh-Durham (RDU) the previous night, landing around 11:00 p.m.
Delta continues to fall apart.https://t.co/dhXVYqQwgg
— NCguy (@nativencguy) July 2, 2025
Delta issued a public statement confirming that the aircraft had landed without incident and emphasized its commitment to safety, stating:
“After the aircraft landed safely, it was observed that a portion of the left wing’s trailing edge flap was not in place. Delta is fully supporting retrieval efforts and will cooperate with investigations, as nothing is more important than safety.”
Delta Statement
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Photo: By BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada – Delta Boeing 737-800 N3753, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25906481FAA and Delta Lead Joint Investigation
The FAA has launched an official investigation to determine how the wing flap detached mid-flight and whether the part found in Raleigh originated from the Delta aircraft. Such flaps are critical for controlling lift and speed during landing.
Although no passengers were harmed and the aircraft landed safely, the loss of a structural component during flight is a serious incident.
Investigators will evaluate maintenance records, structural integrity, and flight data to determine if the issue was caused by mechanical failure, wear and tear, or another factor.
FAA reported:
Delta Air Lines informed the FAA that an inspection of Flight 3247, after it landed safely Tuesday night at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, revealed part of a wing flap was missing. The Boeing 737-900 departed from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The FAA is investigating whether the part that was located on a driveway in Raleigh is from that aircraft.
FAA Official statement
Raleigh residents expressed concern over the unusual event, with some calling it a “wake-up call” about aviation safety in residential fly zones. The FAA has reassured the public that this is a rare occurrence and that thorough checks are underway to ensure flight safety.
Authorities also confirmed that the area has been cleared and the component removed for forensic analysis. No damage to the property was reported, and no injuries occurred.
Photo: By JacobAviation – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84736868Similar Incident
A United Airlines (UA) flight bound for Denver (DEN) made an emergency return to Bradley International Airport (BDL) on June 20, 2024, after part of its engine lining detached mid-air.
United Airlines Flight UA325, operating an Airbus A320, departed from BDL with 125 passengers and five crew on board but was forced to return shortly after takeoff due to a concerning engine noise and debris found on the runway.
United Airlines confirmed that Flight UA325, which had taken off from Bradley International Airport (BDL) en route to Denver International Airport (DEN), returned safely to the departure airport after the crew reported an issue with one of the aircraft’s engines.
The airline stated that a section of the engine’s sound-dampening outer liner had detached during takeoff and was later discovered on the runway.
According to tracking data from FlightRadar24, the Airbus A320 (registration N490UA) departed at 12:03 PM UTC. Shortly into the flight, the crew detected abnormal sounds coming from the engine.
To safely reduce fuel weight before landing, the aircraft performed holding patterns near Windsor Bay and landed without further incident at 12:47 PM UTC.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged the incident and launched an investigation into the engine component failure. While no injuries were reported, the FAA aims to assess whether the aircraft’s age or maintenance history contributed to the panel’s detachment.
The aircraft involved, an Airbus A320 registered as N490UA, is 22.4 years old and powered by IAE V2500 engines. Despite its age, the A320 remains a common and reliable narrowbody in United Airlines’ fleet.
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