The United Parcel Service and FedEx announced on Friday the immediate grounding of its MD-11 planes, a move that comes just days after a deadly crash involving one of the jets in Kentucky.
At least 14 people were killed after a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane belonging to UPS crashed shortly after takeoff in Louisville on Tuesday, leaving multiple nearby businesses on fire and victims scrambling to escape the large blaze. Nine people are still missing, but officials have cast doubt on the possibility of any more survivors.
Regarding the decision to ground the 34-year-old jet, UPS said it was made “Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety.”
It added that the MD-11 model only makes up 9% of its fleet, but “contingency plans” are nonetheless in place to ensure its delivery operations continue without disruption.
In a separate statement, FedEx said the MD-11, which makes up just 4% of its total fleet, will be grounded while a “thorough safety review” is conducted.
Both shipping companies said the decision to temporarily ground the planes came after a recommendation from Boeing, the MD-11’s manufacturer after acquiring McDonnell Douglas in 1997.
Boeing ended production of the aircraft in 1998, citing low demand. The last MD-11 was then finished in 2000 and delivered a year later.
In 2023, UPS began a phase-out of its own of the cargo plane as part of a plan to replace the MD-11 with more fuel-efficient aircraft. FedEx has also been phasing out the plane, with still over 30 in service.
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It is still unclear what caused the crash earlier this week, though one of the engines detached from the plane after takeoff.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board have also recovered cockpit audio devices, which are being examined. According to CNN, a preliminary report from the NTSB is not expected until next month, while the investigation as a whole could take as long as two years.
