The total count of victims resulting from the UPS cargo plane which burst into flames and went down has now climbed to 13, per official reports.
Official's Announcement
Traveling to the Workers’ vigil, I was informed of a thirteenth victim that lost their life as a consequence of the plane accident,” expressed the local official in a online message. “My thoughts is with the relatives, associates and co-workers of all who were killed in this recent tragedy. We will overcome this together.”
Victims Identified
A release from the carrier listed the officers aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Captain Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts are extended to all UPSer who has been affected and all in our community area – helping you and making sure you receive the support and aid you need is our priority,” the organization’s message stated.
Inquiry Details
National officials revealed that the UPS cargo plane’s left wing burst into flames and an power plant detached just after liftoff from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, causing the aircraft to fall and erupt into a inferno.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is investigating the jet’s maintenance history, which was in the state for maintenance a period prior to the accident.
Flight tracking information showed the jet was on the runway in San Antonio, Texas from early September to mid-October.
“We are knowledgeable that this aircraft was present in that city,” said an official on Thursday, not giving a specific date range. “We will review each aspect of repairs that was performed, from the repair period, all the way to the time of the trip.”
Recovery of Vital Items
The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were found, and the motor was found on the tarmac.
The recorders – called black boxes – were designed to withstand collision damage and extreme heat from fires, and they seemed to be in one piece when found among the crash debris. Investigators intend to examining data from the recorders.
The plane’s last recorded information indicated an elevation of 475 feet and a rate of 210 mph before the crash.
Maintenance Record
Per FAA records from 18 September, a crack on a structural piece within the fuel container required maintenance.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which said it provides airframe maintenance for the carrier’s MD-11 and operates a maintenance center in that city, chose not to comment, but expressed it would assist completely when investigators contacted it.
Operations Continue
At the same time, UPS Worldport operations restarted last night with its express or evening process, spokesperson Jim Mayer stated. Each of the three tarmacs at the aviation hub were likewise open again.
The UPS package handling facility in Louisville is the firm’s largest. The facility employs in excess of a large number of people in the area, manages three hundred aircraft per day and organizes over four hundred thousand items per hour.
Community Support
A memorial was held on the night of that date by the local worker’s group, which supports workers at the airfield, the organization’s biggest air cargo hub.
Worker representatives, which supports employees, started the memorial with a quiet tribute at that time, the approximate hour of the accident two days earlier.
“This event was so unexpected, so surprising,” the leader told the group of attendees. “No one had a chance to say goodbye to each of those who we have lost.”
