The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began a two-day hearing Tuesday to investigate the fatal crash of a UPS cargo plane in Kentucky last November that killed 15 people. The investigation focuses on cracks found in a key part of the left engine mount, which sheared off during takeoff from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport.
Key Takeaways
NTSB investigates fatal UPS cargo plane crash caused by cracked engine mount. Hearing reveals crew reassignment after fuel leak discovery.
- NTSB examines cracks in left wing's engine mount
- Crew was reassigned due to prior fuel leak on original aircraft
- Boeing flagged structural failures in 2011, but no action taken
- UPS retired MD-11 fleet; FedEx resumed flights with repairs
The NTSB revealed fatigue cracks were discovered in the support structure connecting the wing and the plane's engine, known as the bearing race. These cracks had been flagged in a Boeing report from 2011, which documented four prior failures on three different airplanes. The hearing aims to review design requirements for those components and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of the issue over the last two decades.
The crash resulted in the deaths of all three crew members and 12 people on the ground, with an additional 23 injured as the plane crashed into an auto parts recycling plant. The NTSB released new video showing the engine separating from the jet in a ball of fire during takeoff and animated footage illustrating the failed components.
The hearing revealed that the flight crew had been reassigned to this MD-11F after their original aircraft, also an MD-11, was taken out of service due to a fuel leak. According to CBS News, UPS did not take additional action after reviewing Boeing's 2011 notice about structural failures on the MD-11 model.
The NTSB stated that metal fatigue caused the failure of the component attaching the engine to the wing. The FAA grounded all MD-11s following the crash, and UPS retired its remaining MD-11 jets shortly after. FedEx has since resumed flights with its MD-11 fleet after implementing repairs recommended by Boeing and approved by the FAA.
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