Investigators say doomed UPS plane had cracks in engine mount, release dramatic photos of moments before deadly crash
Federal investigators released dramatic photos Thursday of an engine flying off a UPS cargo plane condemned which crashed two weeks ago, killing 14 people in Kentucky, and said there were signs of cracks in the left wing engine mount.
The MD-11 plane took off only 30 feet from the ground, the National Transportation Safety Board said, citing the flight data recorder in its first formal but preliminary report on the Nov. 4 disaster in Louisville, Kentucky.
Three pilots of the plane were killed along with 11 others on the ground near Muhammad Ali International Airport.
The NTSB said the plane was yet to undergo a detailed inspection of major engine mount parts that showed fractures. He still had nearly 7,000 more takeoffs and landings left. It was last reviewed in October 2021.
“It appears UPS performed this maintenance within the required time frame, but I’m sure the FAA will now question whether that time frame is adequate,” aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti told The Associated Press after reading the report.
A series of photos released by the NTSB show the left engine exiting the UPS plane and flying over the wing. The final image shows the plane slightly in flight with its left wing on fire.
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Earlier this week, Bill Moore, president of UPS Airlines, a unit of UPS, said the company was working with investigators to determine the “root cause” of the accident.
“Once we determine that, then they will be able to develop an inspection plan,” Moore said at a news conference in Louisville. “Can we inspect it? If so, how do we repair it? How do we reassemble it? And then eventually return the fleet to service. But that won’t happen quickly.”
The NTSB had previously recovered evidence, including the identity of the plane. black boxes. UPS said it had grounded its MD-11 fleet and uses other aircraft during the busy holiday season.
Last week, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg identified all the victims on social media.
Here is the full list of victims:
- Angela Anderson, 45 years old
- Carlos Fernández, 52 years old
- Louisnes Fedon, 47 years old
- Kimberly Asa, 3 years old
- Trinadette “Trina” Chávez, 37 years old
- Tony Crain, 65
- John Loucks, 52
- John Spray, 45 years old
- Matthieu Sweets, 37 years old
- Ella Petty Whorton, 31 years old
- Megan Washburn, 35 years old
Greenberg said Kimberly Asa was Fedon’s granddaughter. Their family told CBS affiliate WLKY that the two were “best friends” and inseparable. Three of the victims were employees of Grade A Auto, one of the companies hit by the crashaccording to WLKY.
