Boeing had known since at least 2011 that a part which failed on a UPS plane moments before it crashed, killing 15 people, had failed four times on three different aircraft, according to a new report.
The three-engine plane only got 30ft off the ground after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky after losing its left engine while travelling down the runway on November 4 last year.
The plane, which was bound for Honolulu in Hawaii, then crashed, killing 12 people on the ground as well as the three crew.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Wednesday that Boeing had warned airlines in 2011 about the broken part, which helps secure the engines to the wings.
However, at that point, the NTSB said the plane maker “determined it would not result in a safety of flight condition”.
The service bulletin that Boeing issued didn’t require plane owners to make repairs like a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directive would, and the aviation regulator didn’t issue such a directive.
Former federal crash investigator Alan Diehl told AP that the notice from Boeing recommended replacing the bearings with a redesigned part that was less likely to fail.
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But operators were still allowed to replace defective bearings with another older bearing that had demonstrated it was prone to failing.
The NTSB had previously said investigators found cracks in some of the parts that held the engine to the wing.
Those cracks, which weren’t caught in regular maintenance done on the plane, raise questions about the adequacy of the aircraft’s maintenance schedule.
The last time the cracked parts were examined closely was in October 2021, and the plane wasn’t due for another detailed inspection until it had done around 7,000 more take-offs and landings.
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The report doesn’t state what caused the MD-11 plane to lose its engine – that conclusion won’t be shared until the board’s final report.
Airlines stopped flying passenger variants of this plane years ago, but cargo carriers like UPS and FedEx have continued to fly the type.
All MD-11s and 10 of the related DC-10 aircraft type have been grounded since the crash.
The NTSB report is almost certain to be referenced to in lawsuits filed over the crash, with the first one having been filed last month.
Those companies and organisations involved are limited on what they can say while the NTSB investigation continues.
However, a Boeing spokesperson told Sky News that: “We continue to support the investigation led by the NTSB.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones and our thoughts remain with all those affected.”
UPS said in a statement: “We remain profoundly saddened by the Flight 2976 accident.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the families and Louisville community who are grieving, and we remain focused on the recovery effort.
“The NTSB controls the flow of information developed in the investigation. As UPS continues to cooperate fully as a party to the investigation, we are unable to comment on any aspect of it.”
The FAA has been contacted for comment.
