After having grounded its McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, Fedex Express has stated that it expects the aircraft type will soon return to service. As reported by Freight Waves, the inspections mandated by the FAA in the wake of the tragic crash of UPS 2976 are expected to be completed shortly, allowing for each inspected aircraft to return to service one by one. In the meantime, FedEx is making up the lost capacity with other fleets and by shifting some packages to its ground network.
The FAA has mandated a nationwide grounding of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 in the wake of UPS 2976, in which an MD-11 crashed shortly after takeoff when its left engine detached from the aircraft’s wing. The three US operators of the type, FedEx, UPS Airlines, and Western Global Airlines, grounded their fleets in the wake of the crash, which was followed by an FAA mandate to inspect all US-registered MD-11s.
A Return To Service Coming Soon?
FedEx Express has currently grounded its McDonnell Douglas MD-11F fleet in the wake of the UPS 2976 crash. The carrier is currently performing FAA-mandated inspections centering on the aircraft’s engines and pylons. FedEx currently owns 34 aircraft, with six aircraft listed as inactive and three maintained as spares, and the remaining 25 are currently grounded for these inspections.
With only 25 aircraft in its active fleet, this represents only a minor dip in capacity for the shipping giant. To compensate for this, FedEx is increasing flying on its other fleets (Airbus A300, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777). Additionally, the carrier reportedly dedicates 18 of the 25 aircraft to domestic flying in the US, and as such is shifting some packages to its ground division.
FedEx Express CFO John Dietrich has stated that he expects the fleet to reenter service soon. When speaking at a live-streamed presentation at the Baird Global Industrial Conference in Chicago, he stated,
“It’s important to note that once the aircraft is inspected and released those aircraft will start to get back into the fleet on a one-off, tail-by-tail basis. It’s not like we’re waiting for the whole fleet to be inspected before concluding whether they can safely go back into service,”
The Impact Of The Crash Of UPS 2976
On November 4, 2025, a UPS Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-11F was departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport when it crashed shortly after rotating. The aircraft, N259UP, was operating 5X2976 from Louisville to Honolulu. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft’s number one engine detached from the left wing, which caught fire seconds after the aircraft’s rotation. The aircraft began descending while banking left, rolling over 90 degrees to the left before crashing. All three pilots were killed, along with 11 on the ground.
It’s unclear what led to the crash, although the chain of events appears strikingly similar to the infamous 1979 crash of American Airlines AA191, in which a DC-10 also lost its number one engine. While the investigation is still in its early stages, current information appears to point to a mechanical failure with the engine or pylon, of which the exact cause is unknown.
|
Flight |
Date |
Aircraft |
Chain Of Events |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AA191 |
May 25, 1979 |
N110AA (McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10) |
Number one engine and pylon detached from left wing, severing hydraulic lines and starting a fire, causing a bank to the left and a dive |
|
5X2976 |
November 4, 2025 |
N259UP (McDonnell Douglas MD-11F) |
Number one engine and pylon detached from left wing, starting a fire, causing a bank to the left and a dive |
Due to the sequence of events, the FAA has issued an emergency airworthiness directive, requiring all US operators to ground their MD-11s and perform inspections along with necessary corrective action, in this case relating to the engines and pylons. Planespotters.net shows that UPS currently owns 27 McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, while Western Global Airlines has 15.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F In Cargo Service
With some US-registered MD-11s now reaching 35 years of age, this raises the question of whether these aircraft will ever fly again, especially considering how few of them remain around the world (which reduces parts supply). However, John Dietrich’s comments show confidence not only in the aircraft’s safety after inspections are completed, but also in its long-term future with FedEx.
While these aircraft are aging, they also serve a unique role within the FedEx and UPS fleets. They’re larger than the Boeing 767-300F, yet new Boeing 777Fs are expensive planes optimized for long-haul flying. The MD-11 also has a significantly smaller wingspan than the Boeing 777F, meaning that gate spaces may need to be modified at some airports to accommodate the larger 777F.
They were acquired at low prices, and their age also means that both companies have paid these aircraft off years ago, meaning that they pay nothing in capital costs for them. Additionally, cargo aircraft fly less than passenger planes. As such, while their exits are coming up on the horizon, with both companies primarily using the smaller Boeing 767 to replace them, the show isn’t quite over for the MD-11 despite the inspections, at least at FedEx.