Overview
- The FAA issued a new emergency airworthiness directive that grounds DC-10 and MD-10 variants in addition to the previously grounded MD-11 fleet.
- Regulators cited structural commonality in the engine‑pylon assembly across the families while requiring inspections and corrective actions before flights resume.
- UPS Flight 2976, a 34‑year‑old MD‑11, crashed on Nov. 4 after its left engine and pylon detached during takeoff, according to preliminary findings.
- The crash killed three crew members and 11 people on the ground in Louisville, and investigators are examining wreckage, recorder data, and maintenance records.
- Cargo carriers initiated tail‑by‑tail checks and contingency plans, and the expanded directive primarily affects a relatively small number of remaining civil tri‑jets.