UPS MD-11 Crashes on Takeoff

[MolaKule]

A UPS MD-11 Flight 2976 crashes on takeoff in Louisville, Ky at approx. 5:15PM.

Not much is known at this time, but the MD-11 can hold up to 38,000+ gallons of fuel. Tremendous smoke and fire erupted.

 

[I<3oil]

Saw that. Rip pilots. Fully loaded to go from KY to Honolulu.

 

[fdcg27]

The flight would not have needed full tanks since its less then 3900 nm SDF to HNL.
I assume that she would have been close to MTOW for the available runway and the density altitude since she was a freighter.
First impression is that there may have been an uncontained failure of #1 and the flight was at that point too fast to abort the takeoff. An MD-11 should be okay on two engines, but I wonder whether high velocity debris from the apparently failed engine might have punctured wing tanks and thereby caused the massive fire?
There were reported to be three pilots aboard, one of whom might have been a relief pilot.
We'll obviously need to await the investigation to learn what really happened, but it looks like this crew had no chance.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Hopefully not another Dubai type battery fire.

 

[E365]

Quick, initial overview from Juan Browne / Blancolirio

 

[JavierH19]

Really sad to see. I just saw the video, I don't imagine they survived. Rest their souls, may they all rest in peace.


I wonder if something in the cargo caught fire that could have so rapidly progressed it wouldn't have set off any alarm before take off. Though the probability of that is very very small given how much fire there is soon after that could have occurred unless that system was not functioning which could have allowed that to have the time it needed to get to that stage without them knowing.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Seen that on tv too. What a long line of fire. I hope a lot of people didn't die or get injured since it went through quite a long path.

 

[wavinwayne]

Terrible. RIP, pilots.

 

[CleanSump]

MD-11 has an old school Flight Engineer in the 3rd seat.

 

[fdcg27]

MD-11 has an old school Flight Engineer in the 3rd seat.

No it does not.
The MD-11 operates with a cockpit crew of two.
Fedex even upgraded its DC-10s to what were called MD-10s to eliminate the need for a second officer.

 

[StarCaller]

live coverage /
wlky news

 

[E365]

I hate to speculate - but that’s what we do. Kinda looks like a compressor stall on the #2 (tail) engine too. One good flash of flame in a frame or two.

I wonder if debris from the #1 engine (left) flew into #2?

 

[Pablo]

Oh man...........

 

[E365]

Allegedly on SDF airport property post-crash. (If not mislabeled or AI)

 

[Propflux01]

The flight would not have needed full tanks since its less then 3900 nm SDF to HNL.
I assume that she would have been close to MTOW for the available runway and the density altitude since she was a freighter.
First impression is that there may have been an uncontained failure of #1 and the flight was at that point too fast to abort the takeoff. An MD-11 should be okay on two engines, but I wonder whether high velocity debris from the apparently failed engine might have punctured wing tanks and thereby caused the massive fire?
There were reported to be three pilots aboard, one of whom might have been a relief pilot.
We'll obviously need to await the investigation to learn what really happened, but it looks like this crew had no chance.

If you look at some of the videos going around you can barely see #2 having flames, popping out, like a compressor stall. I’m wondering if #1 shelled out uncontained and #2 ingested FOD therefore losing the battle. MD11 should have been able to take off on two engines even fully loaded. If they lost two engines… a sad event either way.

 

[Skippy722]

Allegedly on SDF airport property post-crash. (If not mislabeled or AI)
View attachment 308580

From the live stream there was engine debris towards the end of the runway they were taking off from

 

[edyvw]

Apparently flight had 2hrs delay due to maintenance on engine #1.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Apparently flight had 2hrs delay due to maintenance on engine #1.

I'd hate to be the mechanic who touched it last.

 

[Skippy722]

Allegedly on SDF airport property post-crash. (If not mislabeled or AI)
View attachment 308580

My buddy sent me the same pic but earlier in the day and still smoking

 

[Hirev]

How sad for all those people involved.... RIP. Latest is 7 dead and 11 injured.