American delivery giants UPS and FedEx have temporarily suspended portions of their cargo fleets following a tragic plane crash in Kentucky that resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals.
Both companies announced on Friday that they had grounded their MD-11 aircraft after a UPS plane crashed during takeoff in Louisville earlier this week. This decision was made based on the recommendation of the aircraft’s manufacturer, Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas—the original manufacturer of the MD-11—in the 1990s.
“With safety as our utmost priority, we advised the three operators of the MD-11 Freighter to halt flight operations while further engineering analysis is conducted,” Boeing stated in a press release.
Fireball crash in Louisville
The UPS aircraft erupted in flames after veering off the runway and colliding with nearby structures, igniting a significant fire that obliterated several buildings and necessitated the temporary closure of Louisville International Airport.
Authorities reported that the death toll increased to 14 after an additional body was discovered in the debris. Search teams continued to comb through the charred buildings for more victims.
“We extend our prayers to the families of the victims and hope that no further casualties are discovered,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg expressed.
Airlines act ‘out of caution’
UPS indicated that the grounding of the MD-11s—approximately 9% of its fleet—was executed “out of an abundance of caution” following Boeing’s guidance. FedEx confirmed it had implemented the same precautionary measure.
“This recommendation was issued out of an abundance of caution, and we will maintain coordination with the FAA regarding this issue,” a Boeing representative informed Reuters.
UPS and FedEx are the largest cargo airlines globally, operating 27 and 28 MD-11 aircraft respectively. UPS stated it had contingency plans in place to ensure that deliveries would proceed without interruption.
“Nothing is more critical to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve,” UPS emphasized.
Aging aircraft under examination
The aircraft that crashed was an MD-11F triple-engine freighter, which was initially delivered to Thai Airways 34 years ago before being converted for cargo operations by UPS in 2006. The production of MD-11s ceased in 2000, with the final passenger variant being retired in 2014.
As reported by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the left engine of the plane ignited and separated from the wing during takeoff. At the time, the aircraft was transporting 38,000 gallons (144,000 liters) of fuel for a flight to Hawaii, which exacerbated the fire following the impact.
Investigators have yet to ascertain the precise cause of the crash.
