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Louisville UPS Crash Death Toll Rises to 15 After Christmas Day Fatality

Preliminary findings cite fatigue cracks in engine‑mount hardware that allowed the left engine to detach during takeoff.

Overview

  • Officials identified the latest victim as Alain Rodriguez Colina, who died on Christmas Day more than seven weeks after the Nov. 4 crash.
  • He worked at Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling near the airport, a business that lost multiple employees and customers when the MD-11 struck the area.
  • The NTSB’s preliminary report found the left engine and pylon separated from the wing, with evidence of fatigue cracks and overstress failure in the mount.
  • Flight data indicated the jet reached about 30 feet before crashing into nearby buildings, and investigators noted a persistent cockpit warning tone during the descent.
  • The FAA temporarily grounded MD-11 aircraft for inspections, wrongful-death lawsuits have been filed against UPS and manufacturers, and the full federal investigation is ongoing.