On Christmas Day, officials in Louisville, Kentucky, confirmed the death of Alain Rodriguez Colina, raising the toll from the UPS cargo plane crash to 15. Colina, severely injured in the incident, succumbed to his injuries more than seven weeks later.
Incident Overview
The tragic accident occurred on November 4, when UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville International Airport. The flight was en route to Hawaii and took off from UPS’s major aviation hub. Just moments into the flight, the aircraft crashed in a commercial area, impacting multiple businesses.
Details of the Crash
All three pilots on the flight were killed, and 12 individuals on the ground died, including Colina. Additionally, nearly two dozen others sustained injuries. The plane was transporting approximately 20,000 packages and carried around 38,000 gallons of fuel at the time of the crash.
Technical Analysis
- The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F reached an altitude of merely 30 feet before failing to maintain flight.
- Evidence shows the left engine detached from the wing during takeoff.
- The crash debris field extended over half a mile.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), initial investigations revealed cracks in the engine mount of the left wing. Additionally, they recovered a cockpit voice recorder, which captured a persistent alarm for approximately 25 seconds preceding the crash. This voice recorder is one of the flight’s two black boxes.
Ongoing Investigations
The NTSB is leading the investigation and may take up to two years to finalize their report on the UPS cargo plane crash. As this investigation progresses, the community continues to mourn the lives lost in this tragic event.
