Cockpit door flies off small plane mid-flight in Loudoun County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — The cockpit door ripped off of a small two-seater plane over Loudoun County on Saturday morning.

Pilot Daniel O'Brien was flying the aircraft near the Round Hill area when the door flew off around 9 a.m., Virginia State Police said. O'Brien landed the plane safely at the Leesburg Executive Airport. He was not injured in the process. State troopers and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident.

Now, Virginia State Police are looking for the cockpit door, which may have landed somewhere in the area. The door is described as being white with maroon markings. It is about 3 1/2 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide. Anyone who spots the door should contact state police at 804-750-8798. Do not touch the door if you see it, police say.

The plane is a fixed-wing single engine aircraft that only has room for two people to sit inside. Police did not say where O'Brien took off from or how long he was in the air when the door ripped off. They also have not said what model the plane was or what manufacturer made it.

The Round Hill area is nearby the West Virginia border. The Leesburg Executive Airport is 35 miles from D.C. and is owned and operated by the town of Leesburg.