UPS Airlines Grounds MD-11 Fleet Indefinitely After Fatal Louisville Crash Jeopardizing Holiday Shipments

Louisville, Ky. — November 27, 2025  In a move that threatens to snarl holiday deliveries nationwide, UPS Airlines announced Wednesday it is indefinitely grounding its entire fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo jets for rigorous safety inspections and potential repairs, following a catastrophic crash three weeks ago that claimed 14 lives. The decision, detailed in an internal memo to employees, comes as the logistics giant braces for the busiest shipping season of the year, with Black Friday sales already underway and Cyber Monday looming.

The grounding affects all 26 MD-11 aircraft in UPS's fleet—representing about 9% of its total air cargo operations—and could extend well into December, according to the memo from UPS executive Scott Moore. "Regarding the MD-11 fleet, Boeing’s ongoing evaluation shows that inspections and potential repairs will be more extensive than initially expected," Moore wrote, emphasizing the company's commitment to safety amid mounting pressure from regulators.

The crisis traces back to November 4, when UPS Flight 2976—a Boeing MD-11F cargo plane—plunged into a residential neighborhood just seconds after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Video footage released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) captured the horrifying moment: the aircraft's left engine and pylon violently detached mid-air, sending the plane into an uncontrollable descent. It slammed into a cluster of homes, erupting in a fireball that engulfed vehicles and structures. All three crew members aboard perished, along with 11 people on the ground, including a three-year-old child and her grandfather in one of the impacted houses.

"This is the deadliest incident in UPS Airlines history, and our hearts go out to the families shattered by this tragedy," said UPS spokesperson Kristen Moore in a statement. The NTSB's preliminary report, released earlier this month, pointed to metal fatigue in the engine pylon's mount lugs as a likely culprit. Cracks were discovered along structural beams, including a bore in the forward lug's inboard fracture surface—issues that had evaded prior checks, as the plane's 21,043 flight cycles fell short of the 28,000-cycle threshold for more intensive inspections. The aircraft had undergone a six-week grounding just two months prior for a cracked fuel tank repair, but corrosion in the fuselage went undetected at the time.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) swiftly intervened, issuing an emergency airworthiness directive on November 8 that effectively grounded all 109 remaining MD-11s worldwide—vintage workhorses averaging over 30 years old and flown exclusively for cargo by operators like UPS and rival FedEx. FedEx, which operates 28 of the jets (4% of its fleet), followed suit with its own precautionary halt. Boeing, which inherited the MD-11 design after its 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, is now racing to finalize inspection protocols and repair guidelines for FAA approval. "We are working diligently to provide instructions and technical support to operators so that they can meet the FAA's requirements," Boeing said in a statement.

The timing couldn't be worse for UPS, whose air network is the backbone of its express delivery service. The initial grounding already disrupted overnight freight at key hubs like Memphis, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Ontario, California, rippling delays through supply chains during a federal government shutdown that has strained FAA staffing. Analysts warn that prolonged downtime could force rerouting via ground transport or chartered flights, hiking costs and risking bottlenecks for e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart.

UPS insists it has contingency measures in place. "We will rely on our robust network and contingency plans to deliver for customers throughout the peak season, and we will take the time needed to ensure that every aircraft is safe," the spokesperson added. Still, industry experts like aviation safety consultant Mary Schiavo expressed skepticism about the pace of recovery. "Maintenance will be the big issue—what exactly was done to the aircraft, who did it, what parts were replaced, what procedures were followed, and who inspected the work," she told reporters.

As investigators comb through wreckage and black box data—revealing a cockpit filled with persistent warning bells in the final moments—the Louisville community grapples with grief. Vigils have sprung up near the crash site, where twisted metal and charred homes stand as stark reminders of the human cost. Families of the victims have filed early lawsuits against UPS and Boeing, alleging negligence in maintenance and oversight of aging aircraft. 17GEN4