The number of victims due to the freight aircraft which ignited and plummeted has now reached 13, as confirmed by recent reports.
City Leader's Remarks
“On my way to the Teamsters’ candlelight gathering, I was informed of a additional fatality that died as a result of the UPS flight 2976 incident,” stated the municipal leader in a public communication. “My thoughts are with the relatives, friends and peers of all who were killed in this recent disaster. We will endure this as one.”
Deceased Confirmed
A release from UPS identified the officers operating the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts reach out to every employee who has been impacted and all in our Louisville region – assisting you and ensuring you receive the attention and aid you need is our focus,” the organization’s message read.
Investigation Findings
Federal authorities disclosed that the freight aircraft’s wing ignited and an power plant fell off just after departure from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, causing the plane to plummet and explode into a inferno.
The NTSB has said it is investigating the plane’s maintenance history, which was in the state for fixes weeks before the incident.
Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft was on the tarmac in the Texas city from early September to last week.
“We are aware that this plane was present in the facility,” stated an NTSB member on later, not giving a exact time frame. “We will review each aspect of repairs that was performed, from the repair period, straight to the time of the trip.”
Findings of Vital Evidence
The pilot’s recorder and information unit were recovered, and the power plant was discovered on the airfield.
The units – called black boxes – were constructed to endure crash impacts and severe temperatures from fires, and they appeared to be intact when found within the remains. Officials intend to examining data from the recorders.
The plane’s concluding recorded information indicated an elevation of that level and a velocity of 210 mph ahead of the impact.
Repair History
According to FAA documents from last month, a crack on a structural piece inside the center wing fuel tank needed repairs.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which said it offers airframe maintenance for UPS’s jet and runs a maintenance center in San Antonio, chose not to comment, but stated it would assist completely when investigators contacted it.
Operations Resume
Meanwhile, the hub services continued last night with its express or evening procedure, spokesperson a representative confirmed. All three tarmacs at the aviation hub were also reopened.
The UPS package handling facility in the city is the company’s most significant. The facility hires in excess of 20,000 people in the locality, processes three hundred flights each day and organizes over 400,000 parcels each hour.
Community Response
A memorial was organized on the night of that date by the area Teamsters Union, which represents employees at the Louisville airport, the company’s primary shipping facility.
Worker representatives, which represents staff, started the memorial with a period of reflection at the evening hour, the rough moment of the crash two days earlier.
“This event was so unexpected, so unexpected,” the official addressed the group of two hundred. “No one had a chance to say goodbye to any of those who we have said farewell to.”
