CaliToday (09/11/2025): The emergency order follows a finding that a "critical unsafe condition" causing an engine to rip free from the wing is "likely to exist" in other aircraft.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the extraordinary step of grounding the entire global fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft. The emergency directive, issued Saturday, prohibits all further flights of the MD-11 and MD-11F models until mandatory, urgent inspections are completed.
The order comes in direct response to a catastrophic accident this week in Louisville, Kentucky. A UPS-operated MD-11, bound for Hawaii, exploded into flames shortly after takeoff. The crash claimed the lives of all three crew members and at least 11 people on the ground, bringing the death toll to 14 in what is reportedly the deadliest crash in UPS history.
A "Critical Unsafe Condition"
The FAA's directive pinpoints the precise mechanical failure that investigators fear may be a systemic flaw.
The order "was prompted by an accident where the left-hand engine and pylon detached from the airplane during takeoff."
A pylon is the critical structure that mounts an engine to the wing; its failure means the entire engine assembly tears away from the aircraft. In its directive, the FAA stated it "has determined the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design."
This finding has triggered an industry-wide scramble. Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, had already taken the proactive step of recommending that all operators suspend their use of the planes while "additional engineering analysis is performed."
The three primary operators of the tri-jet freighter UPS, FedEx, and Western Global Airlines—have all complied.
Industry Shockwaves and the Louisville Tragedy
The grounding sends immediate shockwaves through the global air freight industry, which relies on the MD-11 as a long-haul workhorse.
UPS: The carrier, whose main "Worldport" hub is in Louisville, called the crash a "terrible event." It confirmed it was "temporarily grounding" its MD-11s, which account for about 9% of its fleet, "out of an abundance of caution."
FedEx: The freight giant confirmed Saturday it had also grounded its 28 MD-11s (out of a total fleet of ~700 aircraft) to conduct a thorough safety review.
The investigation in Louisville is focused on a harrowing scene. The aircraft, built in 1991 and later modified for cargo, was loaded with approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel. It crashed just short of the airport, narrowly missing a major Ford vehicle assembly plant employing 3,000 people.
Aerial footage showed a long trail of debris as firefighters worked to contain the massive blaze.
Todd Inman, a board member for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), confirmed that investigators have located the crucial flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The "black boxes" are being flown to Washington for analysis, which will be vital in determining the sequence of events that led to the engine separation.
Shutdown Questions
The disaster unfolds against the backdrop of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had warned just this week of "mass chaos" in the skies due to staffing shortages, particularly among air traffic controllers.
However, the NTSB's Todd Inman stated that the agency was "not aware of any staff shortages" at Louisville's airport at the time of the crash. For now, the investigation remains focused squarely on the structural integrity of the MD-11 itself.
As the investigation continues, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear asked for support for the victims. "Please pray for these families, the Louisville community and everyone affected by this terrible event," he said on X.