Federal investigators released dramatic photos Thursday of an engine flying off a doomed UPS cargo plane that crashed two weeks ago, killing 14 people in Kentucky, and said there was evidence of cracks in the left wing’s engine mount.
The MD-11 plane only got 30 feet (9.1 meters) off the ground, the National Transportation Safety Board said, citing the flight data recorder in its first formal but preliminary report about the Nov. 4 disaster in Louisville, Kentucky.
Three pilots on the plane were killed along with 11 more people on the ground near Muhammad Ali International Airport.
The NTSB identified that the crashed plane was not due for a comprehensive inspection of its critical engine mount parts that had fractures. It required nearly 7,000 more takeoffs and landings before the next check, having last been inspected in October 2021.
“It appears UPS was conducting this maintenance within the required time frame, but I’m sure the FAA is now going to ponder 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 shows the left engine coming off the UPS plane and flying up and over the wing as it rolled down the runway. The final image shows the plane slightly airborne with its left wing ablaze.
Earlier this week, Bill Moore, president of UPS Airlines, announced that the company is cooperating with investigators to determine the crash's “root cause.” “Once we determine that, then they’ll be able to develop an inspection plan,” he stated during a news conference in Louisville. He emphasized the need for a thorough strategy to inspect, repair, and eventually return the fleet to service.
In response to the tragedy, UPS has grounded its MD-11 fleet and is utilizing alternative aircraft during the busy holiday rush.
