Archive · 9 Nov 2025
FAA Grounds MD-11 Aircraft After Fatal Kentucky Crash
The FAA, which is like the safety police for airplanes in the US, has told all companies to stop flying a specific type of plane called the MD-11.
This happened after a UPS cargo plane of this type crashed when it was taking off in Kentucky.
Sadly, 14 people on the plane died.
The people investigating the crash saw that the plane's engine fell off while it was taking off.
Because this could happen to other MD-11 planes too, the FAA made an emergency rule to ground them.
This means the planes can't fly until they are checked to make sure they are safe.
Before the FAA made this rule, the companies that use these planes, UPS and FedEx, had already decided to stop flying them just to be extra careful.
This rule is separate from other flight problems happening because of a government shutdown.
The FAA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) to ground all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft.
The grounding follows a fatal crash of a UPS MD-11 in Louisville, Kentucky, which killed 14 people.
Investigators observed that the left-hand engine and pylon detached from the UPS aircraft during takeoff.
Boeing, the manufacturer, recommended the grounding due to the potential for unsafe conditions.
Delivery companies UPS and FedEx had already grounded their MD-11 fleets prior to the FAA's order.
- Who
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- What
- Issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) to ground all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft.
- When
- Saturday, following a crash on Tuesday
- Where
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Why
- Following a fatal crash of a UPS MD-11 where the left-hand engine detached, determining an unsafe condition likely to exist in other aircraft of the same design.
FAA's Mandate
Company Actions
Reason for Grounding
FAA's Mandate
The FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) grounding MD-11 aircraft due to the potential for unsafe conditions, specifically the detachment of an engine and pylon observed in the UPS crash.
Company Actions
UPS and FedEx had already grounded their MD-11 fleets 'out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety' prior to the FAA's official order.
- Aircraft Type
- McDonnell Douglas MD-11
- Regulatory Action
- Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD)
- Issuing Authority
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Reason for AD
- Detachment of left-hand engine and pylon during UPS crash
- Crash Incident Location
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Crash Incident Date
- Tuesday
- Fatalities
- 14 (including 3 pilots)
- Affected Operators
- UPS, FedEx
Sources
UPS, FedEx ground entire MD-11 cargo fleet after deadly Louisville plane crash - Telegraph India
Kentucky plane crash aftermath: UPS and FedEx ground MD-11 fleets
UPS, FedEx ground MD-11 cargo jets after deadly Kentucky crash kills 14
