Thu, 15 Jan 2026

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 Boeing knew of flaw in part linked to UPS plane crash, US safety board report says

An aircraft that crashed in November had a structural flaw that had been identified by Boeing 15 years ago, investigators say.

* An investigation into a plane crash in Kentucky has found that Boeing had identified a structural flaw on similar planes 15 years ago, but did not consider it a safety issue.
* The MD-11F freighter operated by UPS crashed after one of its engines separated from the wing as it was taking off, killing 15 people including three crew members and 12 on the ground.
* Investigators found that cracks in the engine mounting assembly were caused by fatigue or repeated stresses, which had been seen in other aircraft.
* Boeing had sent a "service letter" to operators in 2011 warning of the issue, but it was not mandatory to replace the part.
* A former air accident investigator said it was "extraordinary" that Boeing concluded that a failure of this part would not have safety consequences.
* The NTSB's investigation is continuing and no conclusions have been reached on the cause of the accident.
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