Small door from Alitalia jet falls near Nassau Courthouse

A 4-pound metal door fell from an Alitalia Boeing 767 on final approach to Kennedy Airport last week and landed near the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

There were no injuries, according to the FAA. The door provided access to hydraulic controls on plane's underbelly.

Jim Peters, a spokesman with the FAA, said about 4 p.m. Saturday, a local law enforcement official reported hearing a loud bang. The address where the plane part fell was 262 Old Country Rd., the County Courthouse.

Law enforcement officers turned the plane part, which measured 1 by 2 feet, over to the FAA. Officials there used radar data to identify planes flying over Mineola at the time. Separately, Alitalia officials notified the FAA about the missing part, normally affixed to the plane's underbelly between its landing gear, Peters said.

Kennedy-bound planes often fly over Mineola when on final approach, under the control of air traffic controllers at Kennedy's tower and at an altitude of about 3,000 feet.

The door will be returned to the Alitalia after the FAA's investigation is complete, Peters said.