Broken part in UPS crash in Kentucky had failed on other planes
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Boeing warned in 2011 about a broken engine mount part on MD-11 planes, linked to the 2025 UPS crash in Louisville that killed 15, but did not consider it a safety threat at the time, according to the NTSB.
- The UPS MD-11’s left engine detached during takeoff due to a cracked spherical bearing race, a failure not detected during routine maintenance, raising concerns about inspection adequacy.
- The 2025 crash echoes a 1979 DC-10 incident involving engine separation, with questions raised about Boeing’s 2011 service bulletin not mandating repairs and whether UPS properly acted on the warning.
- Investigators continue to focus on the bearing failure as the cause of the
