A PRIVATE PLANE TOOK OFF FROM MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT AROUND 3:00 P-M LAST THURSDAY AND LOST A PASSENGER DOOR, AS SOON AS IT WAS AIRBORNE. THE 75 POUND DOOR, FELL APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND FEET AND LANDED ONTO THE ROOF OF THE EL CASTELL MOTEL, AT NORTH FREMONT STREET AND CASA VERDE WAY. THE PLANE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT SAFELY, BUT THE DOOR WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL 17 HOURS LATER. SOME ONE DRIVING BY THE MOTEL THE NEXT DAY, SAW THE DOOR ON TOP OF THE BUILDING AND NOTIFIED THE MANAGER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE DOOR FROM THE ROOF AND AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AS TO JUST HOW THE DOOR BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE PLANE. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM THEMONTEREY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.
