Plane Propeller Slices Through Roof of New York Home

— -- The propeller of a plane that developed mechanical problems while in flight pierced the roof of a home in New York, according to police.

The propeller pierced the attic and bedroom ceiling in Maria Cebula’s home in Hagaman, New York, around 2 p.m. on Thursday. Luckily, Cebula was not home at the time.

"I came home and there was a big hole in my roof,” Cebula told local ABC station WTEN-TV. “It’s not a pleasant thing to see."

A witness told WTEN she heard the single engine plane make a “putt putt” noise before seeing part of the propeller fall out of the sky.

The pilot told police a mechanical problem occurred after taking off from a private airport around one mile from Cebula’s house, according to WTEN.

No other details on the exact nature of the mechanical problem were released.

The pilot, who was not identified, was able to safely land the plane at the same airport. He has not been charged, according to the local newspaper, The Daily Gazette.

"The biggest thing was nobody was injured,” State Police Senior Investigator Jeffrey Ullman told the newspaper. “This was an older plane, but it was a pretty good size propellor. So everyone was very lucky.”

A tarp is now covering the hole over Cebula’s home. The homeowner’s dogs were home at the time but were not harmed by the debris.

“I was glad I was not home,” she told WTEN.

New York State Police and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident.