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UPS MD11 crash

The engine detached from the plane smoldering on the side of the runway.
103615429-15260989-A_lone_plane_engine_is_seen_here_laying_on_the_runway_following_-a-4_176235...jpg
 
Just sad!!! I have had many USAF Reserve Pilot and Engineer aviation friends who have flown for them, along with some Flight Dispatchers who worked at their hub in KY. Hope none were on that jet and pray for the families of those that paid the ultimate...RIP...cr8crshr/Bill :praying::praying::praying::usflag::usflag::usflag:
 
Those planes are a handful in adverse conditions and several have crashed from it. Fed-Ex lost one in Narita/Tokyo on landing because of windy conditions. They are hard to maintain as they are complicated too work on. Fuel system is a bear as the horizontal stab has fuel in it and there is a computer to maintain weight & balance as the fuel burns off. #2 engine is a bitch to work on and even harder to change. We flew 15 for a while and got rid of them as they were expensive to operate. When new they never got the fuel efficiency Douglas advertised so we had to put aux fuel tanks in the forward cargo to make it to Asia, but when new they would carry as much cargo as a 747 with just 3 engines, that's why the cargo airlines like them. If that picture is #2 engine then there's the smoking gun.
 
There is video of it before it hit. Appeared that maybe the center engine over the tail was on fire.
I saw a video on TV, of the left wing,
one of the engines was on fire & falling off,
while attempting to take of

16 missing & several dead, last I saw several hrs ago

hit a fuel (or other combustibles) sort of recycling center
started a huge fire on top of all the fuel onboard the plane when crashed

sad stuff
my heartfelt condolences goes out to the innocent employees lost
on the ground, they didn't even know it was coming (what a horrid way to die)
& the people on the plane too, all lost
RIP
 
Flight record indicates plane was in for major service last month.

...and flew to Tampa a week ago.

Could have been in my back yard.


For a while I worked for an ex-Air Canada stewardess (and heiress to the "Jane's Guide to Military Aircraft" books family), and she said engine failures on takeoff were extremely common on that model.

WTF?
 
I understand the airlines got rid of them because maintenance was difficult. And the freight carriers like em cause they'll carry as much freight as a 747, with only three engines. (And I'm guessing they were cheap to buy after the airlines got tired of em).
Anything that maintenance is difficult on, shortcuts get taken, and mistakes get made.
 
Some preliminary reports I've heard from people who follow this more closely than I: we all know that the #1 engine failed and fell off the wing. It seems that debris from that engine disintegrating was sucked into engine #2 which also failed. There's no way that plane could recover with asymmetrical thrust and insufficient power. Plus if the engine damaged hydraulics on it's way out, flap and slat control could be lost.

I'll wait for the NTSB report to know for sure.
 
Here's another bit of information about these planes. Remember these were built starting in 1989 approx. but the avionics was pretty advanced for it's time. The aircraft reported engine parameters back to the operator (UPS) in real time. So if that engine blew up and left the wing they surely saw what happened to it pretty quickly. Another thing about this plane is the horizontal stabilizer is smaller than on the DC-10 which it was built off of. This was to accommodate it having fuel inside for balance. It is thought that this is one reason why the plane is a hand full to fly in cross wind situations, and could be the reason some of them crashed. If that engine blew up and the main shaft inside locked up it most likely snapped the pylon off the wing (major structural failure) which would be the cause for the fire coming from that wing while still in flight.
 
I haven't seen this yet elsewhere, but to put in context the horror the crew and those on the ground experienced, here are two screen shots that i marked to help visualize this accident.

Screenshot_7-11-2025 Crash.jpeg


Screenshot_Flight Path original.jpeg
 
Here's another bit of information about these planes. Remember these were built starting in 1989 approx. but the avionics was pretty advanced for it's time. The aircraft reported engine parameters back to the operator (UPS) in real time. So if that engine blew up and left the wing they surely saw what happened to it pretty quickly. Another thing about this plane is the horizontal stabilizer is smaller than on the DC-10 which it was built off of. This was to accommodate it having fuel inside for balance. It is thought that this is one reason why the plane is a hand full to fly in cross wind situations, and could be the reason some of them crashed. If that engine blew up and the main shaft inside locked up it most likely snapped the pylon off the wing (major structural failure) which would be the cause for the fire coming from that wing while still in flight.
The original issue in all souls lost in the Chicago? DC-10 crash in the 80's? with engine detachment under maximum takeoff thrust was found to be improper over stressing the fastening components during engine replacement onto the wing pylon. Mostly because the engine lifting forklift was a rather crude machine for such a high precision task, but the mechanics found it to be faster and easier, if I remember correctly.
 
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Probably pretty sure using the forklift wasn't legal. Wonder if any of the maintenance people went to jail for that.
One thing you don't see in these pictures is the plane. Probably all that's left are the big pieces. Landing gear, engines maybe some of the wing structure.
 
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