LOUISVILLE, Ky. โข- The Nationalโค Transportationโค Safety Board released its preliminary findings from the deadlyโค UPS plane crash in Louisville, revealing evidence of metal fatigue and stress failures in a critical engine component.
The report details “fatigue โคcracks” in the left pylon aft mount lugs and a fractured aft spherical bearing race, asโ wellโฃ as “areas of overstress failure” on the pylon – theโค structure connecting the engine too โขthe wing. Investigators found theseโ issues during an examination of the wreckage.
According toโ the NTSB, the affected parts had undergone a detailed visual inspection in 2021, but the crash โoccurred before the next scheduled inspection.
The Nov. 4 crash, which occurred during takeoff from Louisville’s airport, resulted in fourteen fatalities and numerous injuries. Following the incident,โ both UPS and โฃthe FAA โgrounded all MD-11 aircraft.
The โคNTSBโ reportโ confirms First officer Lee Truitt, of Albuquerque, NM, was piloting the aircraft at the timeโ of the crash.
The examination remains ongoing, andโ the NTSB anticipates it could โฃtake up to a year to determine the official cause โof the accident. The fullโค report is availableโ here: https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/prelimiary-report-dca26ma024-691f3edfebad0.pdf