UPS and FedEx have said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes “out of an abundance of caution” following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky.
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The crash on Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu.
MD-11 aircraft make up about 9 per cent of the UPS airline fleet and 4 per cent of the FedEx fleet, according to the companies.
“We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,” a UPS statement said late on Friday. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
FedEx said in an email that it would be grounding the aircraft while it conducted “a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer”.
Engine fell off UPS cargo plane before crash that killed at least 11 people
Engine fell off UPS cargo plane before crash that killed at least 11 people
On Saturday, Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, said it had recommended to all US cargo companies flying MD-11 freighters to suspend flight operations.