The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the frame-by-frame images that captured the deadly crash where UPS Flight 2976 sustained engine separation and led to the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 crashing into an industrial park seconds after the plane had left the runway. The incident that occurred on November 4 killed all three of its crew members onboard, along with another 11 innocent bystanders who lost their lives when the aircraft hit the ground.
The report from the NTSB outlined a frame-by-frame replay of the left engine separating from the MD-11F, which went up and over the wing which resulting in a fireball ignited on the plane’s exterior. The aircraft crashed into a petroleum recycling city and a nearby USP warehouse, which resulted in a massive blaze and plume of smoke that was visible across the region.
Cracks Found In The Hardware
UPS / NTSB
It has been highlighted that fatigue cracks were identified in the hardware that attached the engine to the wing, and there were repeated symptoms of overstressing. More information will likely become clear as the agency completes its full investigation into the deadly incident.
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft, requiring them to inspect all aircraft before they were deemed safe to be airborne again. This saw the other 26 MD-11 in the UPS fleet grounded, alongside other operators such as FedEx. The MD-11 that was involved in the UPS crash had surpassed more than 34 years of service and was in the process of being phased out by the airline.
Following a sweep of the runway after the crash, hardware was found, which included structural fittings (lugs), had been located, and these showed signs of fatigue cracking and overstressing. Witness accounts, which included an individual in the airport’s control tower, noted that the takeoff speed for the flight was normal; however, they recounted that the climb speed was unusual, and noted they saw the aircraft lose altitude before ‘rolling to the left’.
Cockpit Voice Recorders
The voice recorders have been removed from the site and taken to a secure facility where they continue to be examined. This contained up to two hours and four minutes of recorded audio that related directly to the flight; however also contained up to 63 hours of data spanning the last 24 flights. Multiple specialists have been recruited to investigate the incident, which has included human performance, aircraft performance, and air traffic control experts.
The pilot at the helm of UPS Flight 2976 had accumulated more than 8,613 hours of flight experience, with almost 5,000 of those hours (4,918 exactly) that were rated to this specific aircraft. The first officer had accumulated more than 9,200 hours of experience, with 994 related to the MD-11.
As suggested by CNN, the NTSB is looking at similar incidents for additional answers to what may have caused the incident, recalling American Airlines Flight 191, which was a flight that led to the death of 271 on board, and two bystanders on the ground. This was operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-10. This flight saw the left engine pylon assembly separate from the plane, falling onto the runway. The aircraft subsequently rolled to the left and burst into flames.
“There’s So Much Debris There”: The NTSB’s Key Factors Used In The UPS Crash Investigation
The critical evidence that could hold the key to understanding this tragic incident.
The MD-11F Flight Path
As detailed in the graphic above, this outlines the initial impact between the aircraft’s landing gear and the UPS building roof to which it hit. As previously mentioned, witnesses from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) control tower noted the climb rate of the flight was unusual, and did not believe it had climbed more than 200 feet off the ground.
Radio altitude data showed that the plane had climbed to approximately 100 feet above ground level before clearing the blast fence at the end of runway 17R. However, the main landing gear impacted the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the southern edge of SDF. The plane then impacted a nearby recycling facility.
UPS Airlines is one of the world’s largest cargo carriers with a range of aircraft that include the 757, 767, A300, MD-11, and 747. The airline, owned by the United Parcel Service, operates to more than 800 destinations worldwide, and its primary hub is located at the Louisville Airport, Kentucky, known by the carrier as UPS Worldport.