UPS, FedEx ‘proactively’ ground entire MD-11 cargo fleets after deadly Kentucky crash
The freight firms cite an ‘abundance of caution’ and Boeing’s recommendation after 14 died when an engine fell off a UPS MD-11 plane
The crash on Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu.
MD-11 aircraft make up about 9 per cent of the UPS airline fleet and 4 per cent of the FedEx fleet, according to the companies.
“We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,” a UPS statement said late on Friday. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
FedEx said in an email that it would be grounding the aircraft while it conducted “a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer”.
Engine fell off UPS cargo plane before crash that killed at least 11 people