New NTSB documents reveal UPS never required inspections for a specific engine pylon part that failed during a November 2025 crash. The engine detached from an MD-11 freighter during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. The accident killed the three-person flight crew.
Twelve people on the ground also died in the accident. UPS claims it relied on Boeing guidance suggesting the part failure was not a critical safety risk. Boeing developed enhanced inspections that were not included in the mandatory federal schedule. UPS is now accelerating the retirement of its entire MD-11 fleet.