The number of fatalities due to the freight aircraft that ignited and crashed has reached 13, according to recent reports.
City Leader's Statement
While en route to the Teamsters’ vigil, I learned of a 13th person that lost their life as a consequence of the UPS flight 2976 crash,” stated the city mayor in a social media post. “My heart is with the relatives, friends and co-workers of all who were killed in this week’s disaster. We will endure this as one.”
Deceased Identified
An announcement from the company listed the pilots on board the aircraft as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our thoughts go out to all UPSer who has been impacted and all in our community community – supporting you and making sure you receive the care and assistance you need is our main concern,” the company’s message expressed.
Probe Findings
Federal authorities disclosed that the UPS cargo plane’s wing ignited and an engine fell off just after departure from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, leading to the jet to crash and erupt into a inferno.
The safety agency announced it is investigating the jet’s service record, that was in the state for repairs several weeks ahead of the crash.
Aviation records indicated the aircraft was on the runway in that location from 3 September to last week.
“We are knowledgeable that this jet was present in San Antonio,” stated an official on the following day, without a specific time frame. “We will examine each aspect of maintenance that was performed, even the San Antonio time, all the way to the day of the journey.”
Findings of Key Items
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were found, and the power plant was found on the runway.
The units – called data containers – were designed to withstand accident forces and intense fire from blazes, and they seemed to be intact when located amid the remains. Investigators will analyzing information from the recorders.
The plane’s concluding data recordings displayed an altitude of that level and a rate of that speed ahead of the crash.
Repair History
Per Federal Aviation Administration records from last month, a fissure on a part in the center wing fuel tank demanded maintenance.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which said it supplies airframe maintenance for the company’s MD-11 and manages a maintenance center in San Antonio, refused to comment, but said it would cooperate fully when relevant authorities contacted it.
Activities Continue
In the meantime, UPS Worldport operations restarted that evening with its overnight or nighttime procedure, representative the company official stated. The three landing strips at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were likewise back in operation.
The UPS package handling facility in the city is the organization’s largest. The hub employs in excess of a large number of people in the area, handles numerous aircraft per day and processes in excess of 400,000 items each hour.
Community Support
A memorial was held on the night of 6 November by the local worker’s group, which supports employees at the Louisville airport, the organization’s primary freight center.
Worker representatives, which stands for staff, began the memorial with a quiet tribute at 5.14pm, the rough time of the accident two days earlier.
“This tragedy was so unexpected, so unforeseen,” the mayor addressed the assembly of attendees. “No one had a chance to bid farewell to each of those who we have lost.”
