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In the wake of a catastrophic crash that claimed the lives of 14 individuals, including three pilots, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an emergency order grounding all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft. The directive, an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD), mandates that MD-11 planes be inspected and undergo necessary corrective actions before they can resume flying. This sweeping measure follows a devastating incident involving a UPS MD-11 cargo plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening.
Both UPS and FedEx, major operators of the MD-11, have voluntarily grounded their respective fleets of these aircraft as a precautionary measure, citing an “abundance of caution” and adhering to recommendations from the manufacturer, Boeing. UPS stated that the grounding was proactive and prioritized the safety of its employees and the communities it serves. FedEx echoed these sentiments, announcing a thorough safety review based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. The MD-11 constitutes approximately 9% of UPS’s fleet and about 4% of FedEx’s fleet.
The ill-fated UPS flight, en route to Honolulu, experienced a critical failure shortly after takeoff from UPS’s global aviation hub in Louisville. Preliminary investigations suggest that the left engine and pylon detached from the aircraft during the takeoff roll. Dramatic video footage captured the plane catching fire, with one engine missing, before it plowed into the ground in a massive fireball, impacting nearby businesses. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, examining data from the aircraft’s “black boxes,” which were recovered intact.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, a wide-body trijet, was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and later by Boeing after their 1997 merger. Production of the MD-11 was phased out by Boeing in 1998, with final deliveries in 2000. While it was once used for passenger service by airlines like Finnair and KLM, it has since been retired from those roles and is now exclusively used as a cargo plane. The aircraft has a history of incidents, with the FAA grounding prompted by concerns over its unique handling characteristics and flight control systems.
In response to the grounding, UPS has stated that contingency plans are in place to ensure continued service delivery, aiming to minimize disruptions for its customers. The Louisville facility, the company’s largest package-handling hub, resumed operations on Wednesday night. While Western Global Airlines is the only other U.S. cargo airline operating MD-11s, it has already placed 12 of its 16 aircraft into storage. The full impact of the grounding on global air cargo operations remains to be seen as investigations continue.
