Airplane door falls from the sky, rudely interrupts golf game

If you thought golf was a dull sport, you clearly haven't been playing on the right courses.

The Green Lakes State Park golf course in New York

Patrons at the Green Meadows Golf Course in Charlotte, North Carolina experienced a bit of a shock when their game was disrupted on Wednesday morning (19 August) by an errant piece of aircraft, which fell from an airplane overhead.

Skyline of Charlotte, North Carolina

A bystander said he

“Witnessed the object falling from the sky, twirling around in circles and land approximately 35 metres to the right of the green near the 7th hole.”

The object turned out to be a panel door for a hydraulic servicing area on an American Airlines plane, which somehow came unhinged and plummeted towards the golf course during Flight 1910 from Dallas to Charlotte.

An American Airlines plane, seen here departing Los Angeles airport

The plane in question landed in Charlotte roughly 20 minutes after its door did. Since the door was not a cover for any pressurized area of the aircraft, its absence did not pose a hazard to passengers. Luckily, everyone on the golf course managed to escape unscathed as well.

America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident.

Fore! A golfing term used to warn anyone standing or moving in the flight of a golf ball

Until they clear up the matter, it might be best to wear protective headgear if you decide to hit the putting green!

(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)