The number of fatalities from the freight aircraft that burst into flames and crashed has now risen to 13, according to recent reports.
Official's Remarks
Traveling to the Union’s memorial service, I learned of a 13th person that died as a result of the UPS flight 2976 incident,” expressed the local official in a social media post. “My prayers is with the relatives, friends and colleagues of all who were killed in this recently occurred tragedy. We will overcome this together.”
Victims Confirmed
A release from the company named the officers on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our thoughts reach out to every employee who has been affected and everyone in our Louisville area – helping you and making sure you obtain the support and resources you need is our main concern,” the firm’s statement expressed.
Investigation Findings
Federal authorities disclosed that the freight aircraft’s port side wing burst into flames and an power plant detached just after takeoff from the aviation hub, causing the jet to fall and burst into a fireball.
The NTSB stated it is investigating the aircraft’s maintenance history, that was in the state for repairs weeks prior to the crash.
Flight tracking records showed the aircraft was on the ground in San Antonio, Texas from early September to mid-October.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was there in the facility,” said an official on the following day, without providing a precise date range. “We will examine every piece of maintenance that was performed, including the repair visit, right up to the day of the journey.”
Recovery of Key Components
The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were recovered, and the power plant was discovered on the airfield.
The recorders – called flight recorders – were designed to survive collision damage and extreme temperatures from fires, and they seemed to be intact when found amid the wreckage. Investigators plan on analyzing information from the devices.
Aircraft’s concluding recorded information indicated an height of that level and a rate of 210 mph prior to the crash.
Service Background
According to Federal Aviation Administration records from that date, a fracture on a part within the center wing fuel tank required maintenance.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which said it supplies aircraft servicing for UPS’s MD-11 and manages a maintenance center in Texas, declined to provide remarks, but stated it would cooperate fully when investigators reached out it.
Operations Restart
Meanwhile, the hub activities restarted that evening with its express or evening process, representative Jim Mayer said. The three runways at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were additionally back in operation.
The distribution hub in this location is the company’s largest. The center engages in excess of a large number of people in the region, manages 300 aircraft each day and organizes more than 400,000 items each hour.
Public Reaction
A candlelight vigil was conducted on the night of 6 November by the local worker’s group, which supports workers at the airfield, the firm’s biggest air cargo hub.
The union chapter, which supports UPS workers, began the vigil with a period of reflection at that time, the rough moment of the accident before.
“This event was so abrupt, so surprising,” the mayor told the group of two hundred. “No one had a chance to bid farewell to any of those who we have said farewell to.”
