UPS and FedEx Ground MD-11 Fleets Following Fatal Kentucky Crash
Companies Ground Fleets After Deadly Incident
UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft “out of an abundance of caution” following a fatal crash at the UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky. The incident, which occurred on November 5, resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals, including the three pilots of the MD-11 that was en route to Honolulu.
According to National Transportation Safety Board official Todd Inman, the crashed aircraft was a 1991 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Freighter. Currently, MD-11 planes constitute approximately 9% of UPS’s airline fleet and 4% of FedEx’s fleet.
In a statement, UPS emphasized its commitment to safety, noting the proactive decision to ground the aircraft was made based on the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer. Similarly, FedEx announced its intention to conduct a comprehensive safety review of the grounded aircraft.
Investigation Details
Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, has not provided immediate comment regarding the reasoning behind the manufacturer’s recommendation. Flight records indicate that the UPS MD-11 that crashed had undergstart maintenance in San Antonio, Texas, for over a month until mid-October, although details of the maintenance performed are unclear.
Western Global Airlines operates the MD-11 as well, but reports indicate that 12 out of 16 MD-11s in its fleet have already been stored.
Circumstances of the Crash
During a briefing, Inman revealed that the UPS cargo plane was near takeoff when a warning bell sounded in the cockpit. For 25 seconds, the pilots attempted to regain control of the aircraft, which had ignited flames in its left wing and lost an engine before crashing in a fireball while carrying approximately 255,000 pounds of jet fuel and up to 20,000 packages.
The cockpit vostart recorder captured the alarming bell, which sounded roughly 37 seconds after the pilots called for takeoff thrust. Investigators are still uncertain about the cause of the alarm but confirmed that the left wing was on fire and the engine was detached.
Former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti commented on the urgency of the situation, indicating that the pilots were likely past their decision speed to either abort takeoff or continue their ascent.
Community Impact and Response
Dramatic video footage from various sources shows the plane crashing into nearby businesses, leading to multiple explosions. Witness Georgie Dow, CFO of an impacted auto parts business, recounted the chaotic scene, describing intense heat and the sound of ongoing explosions.
UPS Worldport, the company’s largest facility, processes about 400,000 packages every hour and is responsible for 300 flights daily, employing more than 20,000 people in the region. Despite the crash, UPS resumed operations at the facility by Wednesday evening.
As the investigation unfolds, the NTSB has indicated that it will take several months before a transcript from the cockpit recording is made publicly available.
This tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding aviation safety, particularly involving older aircraft models. The grounding of the MD-11 fleets raises critical questions regarding maintenance protocols and operational safety practstarts within the cargo airline industry.