Panel falls off Delta plane

[tech2101]

"The Federal Aviation Administration and Delta Air Lines continue to investigate how a panel of a Delta jet fell off shortly after takeoff at Lambert Airport in St. Louis.

The panel took a chunk out of Missouri Route 94 in St. Charles County. No one on the plane or on the ground was hurt.

The panel fell minutes after takeoff on Tuesday. It was described as an 18-by-20-inch tail cone."

Tail cone???

Does anyone have any information on this one?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080716/mo_plane_panel.html?.v=1

 

[phlgreaser]

I would guess it is a flap track fairing.

 

[DalMD88]

I would guess it is a flap track fairing.

I heard it was the tail cone that is inside the engine. Some times called a daisy petal. This part is prone to cracking and would not have been noticed by a crew or even a maintenace walkaround. They had to do an engine change so this sounds plausable.