NTSB report on crash of UPS Flight 2976 (MD-11F)

[Astronuc]

UPS Airlines Flight 2976 was a scheduled American domestic cargo flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, to Honolulu, Hawaii. On November 4, 2025, the aircraft operating the flight, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, suffered a separation of its left engine during its takeoff roll and crashed into an industrial area seconds after liftoff from the runway, at about 5:13 p.m. local time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UPS_Airlines_Flight_2976#Airline

The aircraft, N259UP, was a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11F with manufacturer serial number 48417. The aircraft was first delivered to Thai Airways International in 1991 with the registration HS-TME, after which it was converted to a cargo aircraft and delivered to UPS Airlines in 2006. It had flown 21,043 cycles and for about 92,992 hours, and was equipped with three General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines.

Importantly,

The last visual inspections of the left pylon aft mount were performed in October 2021. More rigorous "Special Detailed Inspections" for the mount lugs and wing clevis were not yet due, as the aircraft's 21,043 accumulated cycles were well below the 28,000 and 29,200 cycle thresholds required for those checks.

21000/28000 = 0.75 !

https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/statements/ups-statement-on-aircraft-accident.html

AP News - Dramatic photos of doomed UPS plane show the aircraft on fire and its engine flying off
https://apnews.com/article/ups-plane-crash-louisville-31a1fe9a7d8f1f135dfae74ef5256991

Investigators say UPS plane that crashed in Kentucky, killing 14, had cracks in engine mount
https://apnews.com/article/ups-plane-crash-louisville-ecb71ae0fe6ca10c2b79c3294a06db28

https://www.wave3.com/2025/11/20/ntsb-releases-preliminary-report-into-ups-crash/
https://www.wave3.com/2025/11/05/ups-plane-underwent-repairs-corrosion-crack-september-october/

NTSB Investigation DCA26MA024
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA26MA024.aspx
NTSB preliminary report
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA26MA024 Preliminary Report.pdf

It will take about a year or so to produce a comprehensive report.

The crash reminded folks of the DC-10 engine detachment and subsequent crash of American Airlines 191 at Chicago's O'Hare Airport during the afternoon of May 25, 1979.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_191
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA79AA017.aspx
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7917.pdf

The root cause of the engine detachment in the case of AA 191 was a faulty maintenance procedure that damaged the rear attachment point in the pylon. The damaged part failed by fatigue and resulting in propagation of a subcritical crack to the point of catastrophic failure.

In the present case, the root cause is not yet clear, but it appears that the rear attachment failed, the engine pivoted around the front attachment until it failed and the engine flipped over the wing. Design, materials, manufacturing and service environment are all potential contributing factors in the failure.

 

[Lnewqban]

Excellent summary!
It seems that the internal combustion in the tail engine was affected or suppressed by the flames coming from the wing and wing engine.

 

[Astronuc]

Hoover - Pilot Debrief

Hoover Investigates AI Exploiting the UPS 2976 Tragedy!​

Hoover is a former fight pilot (USAF) and current pilot. I've watch many of his analyses (pilot debriefs), especially the small private and commercial aviation mishaps. He has an excellent presentation.

Edit/update:

In the video, Hoover mentions that the aircraft in question was a DC-10 (1991) converted to an MD-11F in 2006 (5:26 in the video). That could be significant with respect to the design of the engine mounts, which were supposed to be improved in the MD-11/MD-11F. However, "production of the DC-10 ended in 1989, with 386 delivered to airlines along with 60 KC-10 tankers."
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-10

https://www.airfleets.net/listing/dc10-1.htm (production appears to have ended in 1988).
However, another site shows deliveries into the 1990s, perhaps from storage.
https://www.planespotters.net/aircraft/production/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-10 (may require a login/registration after an initial browse).

https://sandiegoairandspace.org/newsletters/article/celebrating-50-years-of-the-dc-10

Eventually, almost 450 of the type would be built and would be put into service all around the world. After a few decades of service, the DC-10 was replaced by the MD-11, which was of similar design, but was larger, had more efficient engines and included a “glass cockpit,” meaning that the instruments were all digital. DC-10s and MD-11s are still in use today, in cargo and refueling roles, and even as firefighting aircraft.

McDonnell Douglas designed and assembled the DC-10 and MD-11 in Long Beach, California. But major components were designed and built here in San Diego at the Convair Division of General Dynamics. Exactly 614 fuselage sets of the DC-10/MD-11 were built at the Lindbergh Field factory.

Wow, I did not know that. I used to drive past the San Diego plant without knowing it's history.

Hopefully, the NTSB will look into the transition of the DC-10 to MD-10/MD-11, and the conversion of N259UP from DC-10 to Md-11, if that is the case. The plane is described as 34 years old which would put its production in 1991.

 

[Flyboy]

The failed parts were in a spot where visual inspection of them was impossible without removing the engine. They were tucked inside the bracket that they mounted to.

My suspicion is that the FAA is going to order an inspection of that mount on every single DC-10/MD-11 in order to return to flight, and probably halve the inspection interval.

 

[gmax137]

Juan, on the blancolirio you tube channel, is a no nonsense guy who is my go-to for aviation accident reporting.

Here's his latest on the UPS flight. He has two or three previous pieces on this.



EDIT: Physics content: he gives a good explanation on how the left engine ends up on the right side of the aircraft. Hint: the engine is spinning, like a gyroscope.