A UPS cargo planethe US international transport and shipping company, crashed on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 November shortly after taking off from the airport of Louisvillein Kentucky. The accident caused the death of at least 7 people (3 crew members and 4 people on the ground) and the injury of 11 others, but the numbers could increase during the rescue phase. The plane hit two companies – one for oil recycling and one for auto parts – in the industrial area near the “Muhammad Ali” airport, causing a huge fire, which was put out after several hours by rescuers. The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) has launched an investigation to clarify the causes.
UPS Flight 2976, after taking off towards Honolulu (Hawaii) at 5.14pm local time and having reached a height of only 53 metres, it began a rapid descent until it crashed onto the runway at 184 knots according to FlightRadarabout 340 km/h. It was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 34 years old, a three-engine low-wing jet airliner measuring 61.2 meters long, 17.6 meters high with a wingspan of 51.8 meters. It is not yet clear whether the cargo transported included hazardous material. The operations of the international hub have been interrupted, with delays and cancellations also for today, Wednesday 5 November, as communicated in a note from the airport itself.
A video shot from the ground shows the left half wing of the plane engulfed in flames immediately after takeoff, indicating a catastrophic event early in the flight. A motoridentified as that of the left wing, was found on the runway (pictured below), suggesting a possible structural failure or explosion shortly after takeoff.
From above only one is visible smoking crater and scattered remains. The fuel on board, necessary for eight hours of flight, probably fueled the violent fire that followed the crash.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, used exclusively as cargo aircraft since 2014 and no longer for passenger transport, have been involved in several accidents over the years. Eight of these led to the destruction of the aircraft and six caused casualties. The last serious accident occurred in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2010, and the last with fatalities in 2009.
