Cape Air Plane Returns To Nantucket After Cabin Door Opens Mid-Flight

Passengers aboard a Cape Air plane flying from Nantucket to Boston early Monday morning had an interesting flight when part of the aircraft’s main cabin door popped open in the skies over Nantucket Sound.

“The pilot was amazing and made everyone feel calm,” said island resident Lizbet Fuller, who was on the flight yesterday, the first leg of her trip to Virginia. “It was a bit nerve-wracking even though I’m smiling.”

The Cape Air pilot returned the Cessna 402 to Nantucket and passengers boarded a different aircraft to complete the trip to Boston. The ground temperature on Nantucket at the time the plane took off on Monday was 46°F.

The Current reached out to Cape Air about the incident, and Mary Stanley, the airline’s northeast regional marketing manager, shared the following statement:

“Earlier Monday morning, shortly after departing Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), flight #5001 experienced an issue in which the upper portion of the main cabin door opened while in flight. The aircraft was at a stable altitude and operated normally. The flight crew returned to ACK, and the aircraft landed safely without further incident. The aircraft has been taken out of service for further evaluation. We are following all established safety procedures and will take any necessary actions based on our findings. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority.”

Watch a video of the incident shared with the Current by Fuller:

“Nothing like a little surprise wake up early in the morning!” Fuller added.