The NTSB's preliminary report identifies fatigue cracking within the left engine pylon structure as a key focus of its investigation into the crash of UPS Flight 2976.
The MD-11F crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, with airport video showing the No. 1 engine and pylon separating from the wing, leading to a fire and the death of all three crewmembers and 11 people on the ground.
Investigators found clear evidence of fatigue cracks on multiple fracture surfaces of the left pylon's aft-mount lugs and a circumferential fracture of the spherical bearing.
Following the incident, UPS grounded its MD-11 fleet, and the FAA issued emergency airworthiness directives for MD-11s and DC-10s due to similar pylon configurations, referencing the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 crash as a historical precedent.
The National Transportation Safety Board says fatigue cracking within the left engine pylon structure is a key focus of its investigation into the crash of UPS Flight 2976, according to a preliminary report released Thursday.
Ryan is Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group, overseeing a portfolio that includes FLYING, AirlineGeeks, AVweb, Plane + Pilot, KITPLANES, and AircraftForSale.com. He founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has more than a decade of experience across aviation media, airport operations, airline workforce planning, and Part 135 regulatory compliance. His experience ranges from time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing aviation industry executives. Ryan holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and is an adjunct instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
