Plane part found in North Carolina driveway is left wing flap from Delta plane, flight landed safely

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina police called in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate a suspicious object found outside a Raleigh home.

On Wednesday, around 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call on Banbury Road about a suspicious item blocking the driveway. The caller stated they believe it was a piece of an airplane.

Responding officers called the FAA to conduct an investigation. Police said they had no record of reports of an airplane crash that occurred in the city of Raleigh, and no reports of injury or property damage had been made. The FAA arrived at the site around midday and took over the investigation.

Delta Air Lines says it could be from one of their flights that landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Tuesday night, around 11:00 p.m., after departing from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The FAA confirmed late Wednesday that the part found is from that Delta jet, and they are still investigating.

Full updated FAA statement

"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 FAA determined the part found on a driveway in Raleigh is from that aircraft and is investigating. The Boeing 737-900 departed from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport."

Delta sent ABC11 this statement about the wing flap

"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."

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