UPS Crash ⚠
On Tuesday evening, a United Parcel Service (5X) McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (N259UP) crashed seconds after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky (SDF). The aircraft was bound for Honolulu (HNL).
Shortly after initiating takeoff on Runway 17R at SDF, the aircraft’s left engine reportedly caught fire. Preliminary video footage shows flames coming from the left wing or engine area. The aircraft reached only about 200 feet of altitude before descending sharply and crashing in a massive fireball. The plane was carrying approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel, or about 280,000 pounds, for the long-haul flight to Hawaii, and this heavy fuel load likely intensified the explosion and post-crash fire.
All three crew members on board were killed. Multiple fatalities on the ground have also been confirmed, with at least six people dying as a result of the crash. The explosion affected nearby businesses and prompted a shelter-in-place order for residents due to debris and fire hazards.
The aircraft had recently undergone heavy maintenance at ST Engineering’s facility in San Antonio (SAT), where it remained from September 3 through October 18. This maintenance period is now under review by investigators as they examine records to determine whether mechanical or structural issues contributed to the failure.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have opened a joint investigation. Early indications suggest an uncontained engine failure that may have caused a loss of control, engine separation, structural damage, and ignition of the aircraft’s fuel supply. However, no definitive conclusions have been reached.
One key question for investigators is whether the engine failure was truly uncontained, and if engine fragments struck nearby fuel or hydraulic lines. Some early reports suggest that debris from the No. 1 engine may have been ingested by the No. 3 engine, causing a compressor stall that worsened the emergency. The three-engine MD-11 cannot take off at or near maximum takeoff weight on a single engine, a factor that would have made recovery nearly impossible in such a scenario.
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