UPS and FedEx Ground MD-11 Planes Following Deadly Crash in Kentucky
UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes as a precautionary measure following a fatal crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Louisville, Kentucky. The crash, which occurred on Tuesday, resulted in the loss of 14 lives, including the three pilots on board the MD-11 aircraft that was headed for Honolulu.
The MD-11 aircraft make up approximately 9% of the UPS airline fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet. Both companies have stated that the decision to ground the planes was made “out of an abundance of caution” and at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. According to a statement from UPS, “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
Investigation and Response
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the cause of the crash. NTSB member Todd Inman reported that the cockpit voice recorder captured a bell sounding in the cockpit, which occurred about 37 seconds after the crew called for takeoff thrust. The bell, which rang for 25 seconds, was likely signaling an engine fire, according to former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti.
Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, has recommended that the three operators of the MD-11 Freighter suspend flight operations while additional engineering analysis is performed. Western Global Airlines, the only other U.S. cargo airline that flies MD-11s, has 16 MD-11s in its fleet, but 12 of them have already been put in storage.
Impact and Aftermath
The UPS package handling facility in Louisville, which is the company’s largest, employs over 20,000 people in the region and handles 300 flights daily. The facility resumed operations on Wednesday night, with its Next Day Air, or night sort, operation. The crash has raised concerns about the safety of the MD-11 aircraft, which was phased out of production by Boeing in 2000.
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