UPS, FedEx ground MD-11 fleets after deadly Louisville crash

What happened

• On 4 November 2025, a UPS MD-11 cargo plane crashed shortly after take-off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, en route to Honolulu. People.com+2Reuters+2

• The crash killed at least 14 people, including the three pilots on board. Reuters+2People.com+2

• During take-off, the left engine reportedly detached from the wing and a “repeating bell” sound was heard in the cockpit voice recorder about 37 seconds after take-off thrust was applied. The Washington Post+2Reuters+2

• The aircraft was about 34 years old, having been delivered in 1991, and had recently been in maintenance in San Antonio, Texas. Reuters

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The response: grounding and inspections

• Following the crash, UPS announced it would ground its MD-11 fleet “out of an abundance of caution,” acting on the recommendation of the manufacturer. Reuters+1

• FedEx also grounded its MD-11 freighters—28 in number—as part of its precautionary safety review. Business Insider+1

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring immediate inspections of all U.S.-registered MD-11/MD-11F aircraft, and prohibited further flights until inspection and corrective actions are completed. AP News

Fleet & operational impact

• At UPS, MD-11s make up about 9% of its fleet. Business Insider+1

• For FedEx, MD-11s represented about 4% of its fleet. AP News

• Although the fraction is relatively small, because both carriers are major players in global logistics (handling shipments for major retailers, and in UPS’s case being the No. 1 air-cargo service provider to the U.S. Postal Service), there are concerns about ripple-effects in supply-chain and shipping operations. Reuters

Investigation details & what to watch

• The investigation is led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with assistance from the FAA. Reuters+1

• Investigators are examining the maintenance history of the aircraft, especially given its recent time in a repair facility and earlier findings of a structural crack. Reuters

• The “repeating bell” alarm in the cockpit is under scrutiny; it’s unclear what it specifically indicated. The crash appears to have occurred after a critical decision speed (V1) was exceeded, meaning the crew may not have been able to legally stop on the runway. The Washington Post

• A preliminary NTSB report is expected within 30 days; full findings may take many more months. Reuters

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Broader context & significance

• The MD-11 is an older aircraft model; production ended in 2000, and passenger operations ceased in 2014. Reuters

• When manufacturers or regulators recommend grounding a model “out of an abundance of caution”, this is relatively rare and signals a serious concern.

• The incident raises questions not only about this specific aircraft and airline, but about fleet-wide aging aircraft, maintenance practices, and remaining life of legacy cargo models.

• From a logistics/industry viewpoint, even temporary grounding of dozens of freighters can cause schedule shifts, capacity constraints, especially during busy shipping periods.