Sat Nov 08 12:58:19 UTC 2025: News Article:

UPS and FedEx Ground MD-11 Fleets After Deadly Kentucky Crash

Louisville, KY – In the wake of a fatal crash at the UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky, UPS and FedEx announced Friday that they are grounding their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft fleets “out of an abundance of caution.” The decision follows the November 4th crash of a UPS MD-11 cargo jet shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, which tragically claimed the lives of 14 people, including the three pilots on board.

The MD-11 makes up roughly 9% of the UPS fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet. UPS said in a statement the action was taken “proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer.” FedEx confirmed the grounding in an email, stating they will conduct a “thorough safety review.” Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, has not yet commented on the reasons behind the recommendation.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman revealed during a press conference Friday that the cockpit voice recorder captured a warning bell sounding 37 seconds after the crew initiated takeoff thrust. The aircraft, bound for Honolulu, struggled to gain altitude with its left wing ablaze and an engine detached before crashing in a spectacular fireball. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire and the significance of the alarm.

Former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti speculated that the bell likely indicated an engine fire. He also noted that the timing of the alarm suggested the pilots may have passed the point of being able to safely abort the takeoff.

Dramatic video footage captured the crash, providing investigators with multiple angles of the incident. Flight records indicate the crashed aircraft underwent maintenance in San Antonio for over a month leading up to mid-October, but the nature of the work is currently unknown.

The UPS package handling facility in Louisville, the company’s largest hub, employs over 20,000 people and handles 300 flights daily. Operations resumed Wednesday night with the Next Day Air, or night sort, operation. The NTSB investigation is ongoing.

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