A flight of Atlas Air has dropped a wing cover on approach to Miami International Airport.

Atlas Air, an American cargo airline based in New York, lost a wing actuator fairing cover from one of the company’s Boeing 747’s on Friday, as the plane was approaching the airport.

The cover fell into the parking lot at the International Mall of Americas in
Miami, only metres from the shopping mall itself.

The parking lot was empty at the time and no one was hurt.

The fibreglass fairing cover had been utilised on the aircraft to cover hydraulics equipment and to reduce drag.

The pilot in command said he had noticed the airframe vibrating before the cover came off.

He said when he examined the craft on landing, he noticed the right inboard trailing edge wing skin panel was missing.

Further examination revealed the right hand wing fixed trailing edge panel had failed.

About 1/3 of the panel had peeled off, collided with the flaps and fallen to the ground.