UPS and FedEx ground entire MD-11 fleets following deadly Louisville crash

UPS and FedEx have temporarily grounded their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft after Tuesday’s fatal UPS crash in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed at least 14 people.

UPS confirmed Friday that it had halted all MD-11 operations “out of an abundance of caution” following a recommendation from Boeing, which absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997. The MD-11 accounts for roughly 9% of UPS’s global fleet. A directive sent to pilots ordered all MD-11s to return to base immediately.

FedEx, which operates 28 MD-11s among its 700 aircraft, announced a similar move early Saturday, citing the need for inspections and safety reviews. Both companies said they had contingency plans in place to limit delivery disruptions.

The UPS flight bound for Honolulu crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, striking an industrial area and igniting a massive fire. All three crew members and 11 people on the ground were killed.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the left engine caught fire and detached during takeoff. Boeing said it recommended the suspension of MD-11 flights to allow “additional engineering analysis” in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed late Friday that the remains of a 14th victim had been recovered. “We pray for each of the victims’ families and for our first responders as they continue their work,” he said.

UPS, Louisville’s largest employer with around 25,000 workers, operates its main global air hub at the airport where the crash occurred.