Boeing Knew About Engine Defect on UPS Plane 4 Months Before Crash in Kentucky
A devastating crash in Louisville last November claimed 15 lives, including those of three people on board and 12 others on the ground. The aircraft was a UPS MD-11 cargo plane that experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, with one wing's engine catching fire and detaching mid-air.
In a recent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), investigators found evidence that Boeing had warned plane owners about this specific defect four times before - on three separate aircraft. The warning was issued in February 2011 and related to "spherical bearing race" assemblies, which secure engines to wings. However, Boeing did not consider this a flight safety issue and only recommended routine inspections every 60 months.
The investigation revealed that these warnings were not thoroughly reviewed or addressed by UPS, the aircraft's owner. The NTSB report stated that the cracks found in the engine mount parts had not been spotted during the plane's most recent maintenance inspection. In fact, the last time the engine mount parts were closely examined was over seven years ago, with the next scheduled inspection due around 7,000 flights later.
Boeing officials have declined to comment on these findings, stating that they continue to support the NTSB investigation. UPS has also been tight-lipped about the incident, citing ongoing litigation.
The crash shares similarities with a notorious 1979 American Airlines DC-10 crash in Chicago, where a maintenance crew's mistake led to a global grounding of the fleet. The case raises questions about how airlines like UPS handled maintenance issues and whether they did enough to address safety concerns.
As the investigation into this tragedy continues, families of those affected are left to wonder why more was not done to prevent such a disaster from occurring in the first place.
A devastating crash in Louisville last November claimed 15 lives, including those of three people on board and 12 others on the ground. The aircraft was a UPS MD-11 cargo plane that experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, with one wing's engine catching fire and detaching mid-air.
In a recent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), investigators found evidence that Boeing had warned plane owners about this specific defect four times before - on three separate aircraft. The warning was issued in February 2011 and related to "spherical bearing race" assemblies, which secure engines to wings. However, Boeing did not consider this a flight safety issue and only recommended routine inspections every 60 months.
The investigation revealed that these warnings were not thoroughly reviewed or addressed by UPS, the aircraft's owner. The NTSB report stated that the cracks found in the engine mount parts had not been spotted during the plane's most recent maintenance inspection. In fact, the last time the engine mount parts were closely examined was over seven years ago, with the next scheduled inspection due around 7,000 flights later.
Boeing officials have declined to comment on these findings, stating that they continue to support the NTSB investigation. UPS has also been tight-lipped about the incident, citing ongoing litigation.
The crash shares similarities with a notorious 1979 American Airlines DC-10 crash in Chicago, where a maintenance crew's mistake led to a global grounding of the fleet. The case raises questions about how airlines like UPS handled maintenance issues and whether they did enough to address safety concerns.
As the investigation into this tragedy continues, families of those affected are left to wonder why more was not done to prevent such a disaster from occurring in the first place.
! Like, can't airlines just take warnings from Boeing seriously and do some actual maintenance on their planes?! The fact that UPS had to learn about this engine defect FOUR TIMES before it crashed is just wild 
. And don't even get me started on how long it's been since the last inspection... 7 YEARS?! That's crazy! 
I'm so glad the NTSB is investigating, but what really needs to happen is that airlines need to be held accountable for their actions (or lack thereof) #FlightSafetyMatters #BoeingWarning #UPSInvestigation
The fact that Boeing knew about this engine defect 4 months before the crash is just... 
mind-boggling! 
They had multiple warnings, but still only recommended routine inspections every 60 months? 
Like, what's the point of having a warning if you're not gonna take action? 
The fact that UPS didn't thoroughly review these warnings either doesn't help. 
Until then, I'll be keeping an eye on this investigation and hoping for some answers... 
Four months is nothing when lives are on the line, right? It's like they just wanted to get all those routine inspections out of the way before someone got hurt. And UPS, nice try with the "ongoing litigation" excuse... I'm sure it has nothing to do with you guys trying to avoid any actual accountability 
.
ugh, I cant believe ppl r still gettin away with these safety issues on planes... like 4 months before the crash, Boeing knew about this engine defect and they didnt do anything about it? 
that's crazy! And to think UPS didnt even review those warnings properly... what kind of "maintenance" is that? 
It's just so frustrating when ppl r more worried about profits than people's lives. I mean, 7 years between inspections? 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around what happened with that UPS plane crash... four months before the incident, Boeing knew about the engine defect and had warned owners multiple times 
.
. I mean, come on, 60-month routine inspections aren't gonna cut it when it comes to safety concerns 
. And now we're left wondering why more wasn't done to prevent this tragedy from happening 
. The families of those who lost their lives deserve so much better than that 
.
This is so crazy - I mean, who lets an engine defect fly (no pun intended 
) under the radar for that long? And Boeing knew about it 4 months before the crash... like, what even is the point of having a warning system if nobody's gonna take action? 
.
. And think about all the people who are working so hard to keep us safe - I mean, the NTSB investigators and Boeing's engineers... they're the real MVPs 
. It's also interesting that there were multiple warnings about this issue four years before the crash... it just goes to show how important routine inspections and maintenance can be 
. Maybe this whole thing will lead to some big changes in the way airlines handle safety concerns? Fingers crossed! 