UPS and FedEx have temporarily grounded their MD-11 freight aeroplanes after a ruinous crash in Kentucky claimed 14 lives, including all three aviators.
The incident occurred near UPS Worldport in Louisville on Tuesday evening, when a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu went down.
The aircraft, carrying 38,000 gallons of energy, collided with two structures. Viewer images captured towering trees and thick branches of the bank rising from the point.
UPS verified on Friday that it would base its MD-11 aircraft, which make up roughly 9 per cent of its fleet.
“We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,” UPS stated. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
FedEx, operating 28 MD-11s within its 700-strong fleet, followed suit. “Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to immediately ground our MD-11 fleet as we conduct a thorough inspection and safety review,” the company said.
“We are immediately implementing contingency plans within our integrated air-ground network to minimise disruptions.”
Western Global Airlines is the only other US weight carrier still flying MD-11s, according to aeronautics analytics firm Cirium. Most of its line, 12 out of 16 aircraft, have been put into storage.
Investigators from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the aeroplane was nearly airborne when a cockpit bell sounded.
Todd Inman, an NTSB member, described how the alarm chimed for 25 seconds as aviators plodded to control the aircraft.
The left section was engulfed in debris, and the machine on that side had detached before the aeroplane crashed in a dynamo.
“There are different types of alarms with varying meanings,” Mr Inman explained, adding that the cause of the bell remains undetermined.
Conservation records indicate the MD-11 passed checks for over a month until mid-October, but details of the work performed are still unclear.
This recent tragedy highlights ongoing enterprises over the geriatric MD-11 line in the US. While these aircraft have long been a backbone for weight operations, safety reviews and visionary measures have come a critical focus following this disastrous accident.
