US FAA grounds MD-11 model aircraft after deadly Kentucky crash that killed 14, probe underway

The US aviation authorities on Saturday issued an emergency order to ground the model of the plane that was involved in a deadly crash in Kentucky last week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) for McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft after the UPS plane bound for Honolulu crashed on take-off in Louisville.

The crash that took place on Tuesday killed 14 people on board. The victims included three pilots operating the aircraft. Delivery firms UPS and FedEx had already grounded their fleets of planes on Friday, “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety”.

In the Saturday order, the FAA said that the decision is being taken following a recommendation by its manufacturer, Boeing. The authorities noted that during the accident, “the left-hand engine and pylon detached from the airplane”.

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“The cause of the detachment is currently under investigation. This condition could result in the loss of continued safe flight and landing,” a spokesperson for the authority said in a statement. "

“The FAA is issuing this AD because the agency has determined the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design. The AD prohibits further flight until the airplane is inspected and all applicable corrective actions are performed,” the spokesperson added.

The government shutdown is also affecting the flights

It is pertinent to note that MD-11 was first manufactured by McDonnell Douglas in 1988, until its merger with Boeing in 1997. It was once used by commercial airlines, including Finnair and KLM, as a passenger jet. However, the fleet was retired in 2014 and is now used only as a freight plane.

The incident took place at a time when more than 1,300 commercial flights were cancelled in the US on Saturday because of an FAA order. The body issued the directive to reduce air traffic amid the ongoing government shutdown.

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The deadlock in Washington, which has been inching towards a month, has resulted in the shortages of air traffic control staff, who have not been paid for weeks. In light of this, officials have warned that the number of daily cancellations could rise in the coming days unless the political row is resolved.