San Francisco Frontiers - UPS grounds its MD-11 cargo planes after deadly crash

A McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft exploded into flames when it crashed shortly after departing on Tuesday, killing at least 14 people. A three-person crew was aboard.

Delivery giant FedEx has also grounded its fleet of MD-11s while it conducts a safety review, according to US media reports. The company did not immediately reply to an AFP request for confirmation.

"Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety, we have made the decision to temporarily ground our MD-11 fleet," UPS said.

"The grounding is effective immediately. We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer," the courier added.

The company said it had contingency plans in place "to ensure we can continue to deliver reliable service."

Around nine percent of UPS's fleet are MD-11s, according to the company.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said earlier that another crash victim had been located, bringing the total number to 14.

"Please pray for these families, the Louisville community and everyone affected by this terrible event," he said on X.

- Trail of debris -

The plane, filled with some 38,000 gallons of fuel for the long-haul flight to Hawaii, narrowly missed a major Ford vehicle assembly plant that employs some 3,000 people.

Aerial footage of the crash site showed a long trail of debris as firefighters blasted water on the flames, with smoke billowing from the area.

Investigators have said the accident was caused by one of the engines catching fire and detaching during takeoff.

Todd Inman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said this week that investigators had identified the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder -- known as a plane's black boxes -- and would send them to Washington for analysis.

The crash was reportedly the deadliest in UPS history. Its main hub, Worldport, is in Louisville, where it employs thousands of people.

According to the NTSB, the plane was built in 1991 and was modified into a cargo aircraft. McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in 1997.

The crash comes amid the longest government shutdown in US history, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning this week of "mass chaos" in the skies due to a lack of air traffic control staff.

Inman said the NTSB was not aware of any staff shortages at Louisville's airport at the time of the crash.

D.Brown--SFF