Boeing knew since at least 2011 that the part that failed moments before a UPS plane crashed, killing 15 people, had failed four times on three different planes, according to a new report.
The three-engine plane could rise only 30 feet above the ground after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky after losing its left engine while travelling down the runway on November 4 last year.
The plane, which was then headed to Honolulu in Hawaii, crashed. Twelve people on the ground, as well as three crew members, were killed.
Boeing had warned airlines in 2011 about a broken part.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Wednesday that Boeing had warned airlines in 2011 about a broken part that helps secure the engines to the wings.
The crash left a fiery trail of devastation, resulting in the deaths of 12 people on the ground.
However, at the time, the NTSB said the aircraft manufacturer “determined that this would not affect the safety of the flight conditions.”.
The Boeing service bulletin did not require aircraft owners to make repairs, unlike the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directive, and the aviation regulator issued no such directive.
Former federal accident investigator Alan Diehl told the AP that Boeing’s notice recommended replacing the bearings with a redesigned part that was less likely to fail.
Cargo operators such as UPS and FedEx continued to use the aircraft even after they were retired from passenger service. Image: Wikipedia/HamProductions
But operators were still allowed to replace the defective bearing with another old bearing, which indicated that it was at risk of failing.
The NTSB previously said investigators found cracks in parts connecting the engine to the wing.
Those cracks, which were not caught in the routine maintenance performed on the aircraft, raise questions about the adequacy of the aircraft’s maintenance programme.
The last time the broken parts were closely examined was in October 2021, and the plane did not require another detailed inspection until it had made more than 7,000 take-offs and landings.
Seen from the departure airport after the accident. Photo: Brad Harvey/AP
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The report does not specify what caused the MD-11 aircraft’s engine failure – this finding will not be shared until the board’s final report.
Airlines stopped flying passenger variants of this aircraft years ago, but cargo carriers such as UPS and FedEx continue to fly the type.
All MD-11 and 10-related DC-10 aircraft types have been grounded since the accident.
The NTSB report is almost certain to be mentioned in lawsuits filed over the crash, with the first suit filed last month.
The companies and organisations involved are limited in what they can say while the NTSB investigation continues.
The last European MD-11s were retired in 2021, when Lufthansa Cargo stopped using the type after 23 years. Photo: Lufthansa Cargo/Vasco Garcia
However, a Boeing spokesperson told Sky News that “we continue to support the investigation led by the NTSB.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost loved ones and our thoughts are with all those affected.”
“We are deeply saddened by the accident of Flight 2976,” UPS said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with the families and the Louisville community who are grieving, and we remain focused on recovery efforts.
“The NTSB controls the flow of information as it develops in the investigation. As UPS continues to cooperate fully as a party to the investigation, we are unable to comment on any aspect of it.”
The FAA has been contacted for comment.
