MD-11s Grounded
On 4th November 2025, UPS Flight 2976 utilising a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F crashed shortly after taking off from UPS's Worldport at Louisville, Kentucky en-route to Honolulu, Hawaii, killing all 3 crew members on-board the flight as well as 11 people on the ground.
The accident was deeply saddening and sent shockwaves throughout the world, the accident being the 11th hull-loss of a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 since the aircraft's entry into service in late-1990. The accident is currently under investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration with Boeing (McDonnell Douglas's successor) and General Electric (the engine supplier) also assisting with the investigation.
Videos of the accident were soon released following the accident and viewer discretion is advised, but images do show that upon taking off from Louisville, the aircraft lost its No. 1 engine during the take-off roll and found lying parallel to Runway 17R which the flight took off from. The aircraft's left wing was seen engulfed in flames before banking to the left and descended sharply, striking the roof of a UPS Supply Chain warehouse before later crashing into an industrial area located within the airport vicinity.
Four days after the accident on 8th November 2025, UPS were the first to announce they would be grounding their fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, this was soon followed by FedEx Express and Western Global on requests by Boeing. Later that same day, the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive or EAD that stated all operational McDonnell Douglas MD-11s are to be grounded until inspections have been carried out across the fleet.
Of course speculation is rife and do not wish to draw conclusions as to what happened until the investigation is complete, but many including myself drew parallels to a similar accident that occurred in 1979 when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed shortly after taking off from Chicago-O'Hare. This accident remains the United States worst civil aviation disaster; this flight involved the McDonnell Douglas MD-11s predecessor, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in which during its take-off roll it too saw its No. 1 engine separate on take-off, severing hydraulic lines that saw the leading edge slats retract, causing the aircraft to stall which ultimately saw 273 people losing their lives.
Right now, the investigation is ongoing and contingency plans have been made in the absence of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs operating cargo flights.
Currently, FedEx Express operates 29 McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, all of which are currently parked since 8th November 2025 following the type's grounding by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
November Five Nine Seven Foxtrot Echo was delivered new to American Airlines as N1765B on 30th March 1993, withdrawn from service on 13th October 2001 before transferring over to FedEx Express converting as a freighter on 4th June 2002 receiving the name Corbin until being renamed Jan in October 2019. She was withdrawn from service on 2nd February 2025, being ferried for long-term storage and scrapping at Victorville, California on 3rd February 2025. She was powered by 3 General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines.
McDonnell Douglas MD-11(F) N597FE 'Jan' powers along Runway 25L at Los Angeles (LAX), California on FX3901 to Newark-Liberty (EWR), New Jersey.
My thoughts and sympathy goes to the families and friends of the flight crew members and those on the ground who sadly lost their lives in the accident.
MD-11s Grounded
On 4th November 2025, UPS Flight 2976 utilising a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F crashed shortly after taking off from UPS's Worldport at Louisville, Kentucky en-route to Honolulu, Hawaii, killing all 3 crew members on-board the flight as well as 11 people on the ground.
The accident was deeply saddening and sent shockwaves throughout the world, the accident being the 11th hull-loss of a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 since the aircraft's entry into service in late-1990. The accident is currently under investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration with Boeing (McDonnell Douglas's successor) and General Electric (the engine supplier) also assisting with the investigation.
Videos of the accident were soon released following the accident and viewer discretion is advised, but images do show that upon taking off from Louisville, the aircraft lost its No. 1 engine during the take-off roll and found lying parallel to Runway 17R which the flight took off from. The aircraft's left wing was seen engulfed in flames before banking to the left and descended sharply, striking the roof of a UPS Supply Chain warehouse before later crashing into an industrial area located within the airport vicinity.
Four days after the accident on 8th November 2025, UPS were the first to announce they would be grounding their fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, this was soon followed by FedEx Express and Western Global on requests by Boeing. Later that same day, the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive or EAD that stated all operational McDonnell Douglas MD-11s are to be grounded until inspections have been carried out across the fleet.
Of course speculation is rife and do not wish to draw conclusions as to what happened until the investigation is complete, but many including myself drew parallels to a similar accident that occurred in 1979 when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed shortly after taking off from Chicago-O'Hare. This accident remains the United States worst civil aviation disaster; this flight involved the McDonnell Douglas MD-11s predecessor, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in which during its take-off roll it too saw its No. 1 engine separate on take-off, severing hydraulic lines that saw the leading edge slats retract, causing the aircraft to stall which ultimately saw 273 people losing their lives.
Right now, the investigation is ongoing and contingency plans have been made in the absence of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs operating cargo flights.
Currently, FedEx Express operates 29 McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, all of which are currently parked since 8th November 2025 following the type's grounding by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
November Five Nine Seven Foxtrot Echo was delivered new to American Airlines as N1765B on 30th March 1993, withdrawn from service on 13th October 2001 before transferring over to FedEx Express converting as a freighter on 4th June 2002 receiving the name Corbin until being renamed Jan in October 2019. She was withdrawn from service on 2nd February 2025, being ferried for long-term storage and scrapping at Victorville, California on 3rd February 2025. She was powered by 3 General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines.
McDonnell Douglas MD-11(F) N597FE 'Jan' powers along Runway 25L at Los Angeles (LAX), California on FX3901 to Newark-Liberty (EWR), New Jersey.
My thoughts and sympathy goes to the families and friends of the flight crew members and those on the ground who sadly lost their lives in the accident.