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The freight company UPS has grounded its fleet of MD-11 aircraft days after a cargo plane crash that killed at least 13 people in Kentucky.
The grounded MD-11s are the same type of plane involved in Tuesday’s crash in Louisville. They were originally built by McDonnell Douglas until it was taken over by Boeing.
UPS on Friday said the fleet had been temporarily grounded “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety”.
“The grounding is effective immediately. We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,” the company said in a statement.
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
UPS said the MD-11s make up about 9% of the UPS Airlines fleet.
“Contingency plans are in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the reliable service our customers around the world count on,” the statement said.
Thirteen people have been confirmed as having died in the crash in Louisville, including pilots Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond.
A federal investigator said the cargo plane’s left wing caught fire and an engine fell off shortly after it took off from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, causing the plane to crash and explode into a fireball.
“Our hearts go out to every UPSer who has been impacted and all in our Louisville community – supporting you and ensuring you receive the care and resources you need is our priority,” the company said in an earlier statement.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the maintenance history of the plane, which was in Texas for repairs in the weeks before the crash.
Reuters reported flight tracking data showing the plane was on the ground in San Antonio, Texas, from 3 September to 18 October.
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were recovered, and the engine was found on the airfield.
The recorders – known as black boxes – were built to withstand crash impacts and intense heat from fires, and they appeared to be intact when located amid the crash debris. Investigators plan on reviewing data from the black boxes.
With Reuters
