UPS and FedEx have grounded their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo fleets following the fatal UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky.
At least 14 people have died after the UPS aircraft crashed mid-takeoff on Tuesday, Nov. 4, according to the BBC. UPS confirmed in a statement that operations of its MD-11 planes have been temporarily suspended due to the tragedy.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety, we have made the decision to temporarily ground our MD-11 fleet,” a UPS spokesperson said. “MD-11s are approximately 9% of the UPS Airlines fleet. The grounding is effective immediately. We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.
“Contingency plans are in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the reliable service our customers around the world count on,” the statement continued.
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Aircraft manufacturer Boeing confirmed that an investigation into the crash is ongoing.
“With safety as our top priority, we recommended to the three operators of the MD-11 Freighter that they suspend flight operations while additional engineering analysis is performed,” Boeing said. “This recommendation was made in an abundance of caution, and we will continue coordinating with the FAA on this matter.”
UPS operates 27 MD-11 cargo planes, while FedEx has 28, per Reuters.
FedEx issued its own statement, saying, “Safety is our highest priority at FedEx. Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to immediately ground our MD-11 fleet as we conduct a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer. We are immediately implementing contingency plans within our integrated air-ground network to minimize disruptions. Our teams are focused on delivering the highest standards of safety and service for our customers and team members.”
UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Nov. 4, shortly after takeoff from Kentucky’s Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed. The plane was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced on Friday, Nov. 7, that the death toll had risen to 14. “Another victim has been located at the crash site this evening. This brings the total number of known fatalities to 14,” he wrote on X.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman said in a press conference on Friday that 100 first responders remain at the scene and that about two hours of cockpit voice recorder audio have been recovered for review.
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“In reviewing that audio, the crew completed their standard checklists and briefings in preparation for the flight. The takeoff roll was uneventful through the different speed callouts,” Inman explained.
“About 37 seconds after the crew called for takeoff thrust, a repeating bell was heard on the CVR, which persisted until the end of the recording 25 seconds later. During this time, the crew engaged in efforts to attempt to control the aircraft before the crash,” he added.
As of Friday, nine people remain missing who are believed to have been in the area at the time of the crash, according to ABC News and WAVE.
