The total count of lives lost due to the UPS cargo plane that caught fire and went down has reached 13, as confirmed by official announcements.
Official's Remarks
“On my way to the Union’s candlelight gathering, I was informed of a thirteenth victim that passed away as a result of the UPS flight 2976 accident,” wrote the local official in a online message. “My prayers are with the loved ones, associates and peers of all who were killed in this recent tragedy. We will overcome this together.”
Deceased Named
A statement from the carrier named the flight crew on board the jet as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our sympathies reach out to every UPSer who has been impacted and all in our community community – supporting you and making sure you get the support and resources you need is our main concern,” the company’s communication stated.
Inquiry Details
Federal officials disclosed that the freight aircraft’s left wing caught fire and an power plant fell off just after takeoff from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, leading to the aircraft to crash and burst into a inferno.
The safety agency announced it is investigating the aircraft’s maintenance history, which was in Texas for maintenance a period ahead of the crash.
Aviation data indicated the jet was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from 3 September to last week.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was present in San Antonio,” stated an investigator on Thursday, not giving a exact period. “We will look at each aspect of repairs that was performed, even the San Antonio time, right up to the time of the journey.”
Retrieval of Vital Items
The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were recovered, and the power plant was discovered on the tarmac.
The recorders – called black boxes – were built to survive accident forces and extreme temperatures from infernos, and they looked to be in one piece when located among the wreckage. Officials plan on analyzing information from the devices.
Jet’s concluding data recordings displayed an altitude of 475 feet and a speed of 210 mph before the crash.
Repair Record
Based on Federal Aviation Administration documents from that date, a fracture on a structural piece inside the center wing fuel tank demanded maintenance.
The company ST Engineering, which stated it supplies aircraft servicing for UPS’s MD-11 and runs a service location in Texas, chose not to comment, but stated it would work closely when relevant authorities reached out it.
Operations Continue
In the meantime, the facility operations restarted that evening with its overnight or evening operation, spokesperson Jim Mayer said. Each of the three landing strips at the airport were likewise back in operation.
The UPS package handling facility in Louisville is the company’s largest. The center hires over 20,000 workers in the region, manages three hundred trips per day and processes over four hundred thousand packages each hour.
Local Response
A memorial was held on the evening of that date by the area Teamsters Union, which represents employees at the airfield, the company’s largest air cargo hub.
The union chapter, which represents UPS workers, began the vigil with a quiet tribute at 5.14pm, the rough moment of the accident previously.
“This tragedy was so abrupt, so surprising,” the leader spoke to the group of attendees. “No one had a opportunity to part to each of those who we have said farewell to.”
