Federal investigators have recovered both flight recorders from the UPS MD-11 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and digital flight data recorder (DFDR) were located and extracted by an NTSB go-team that arrived on scene earlier today. The devices were transported under chain-of-custody to the Board’s recorder laboratory in Washington, D.C., where downloads and analysis began.
The NTSB said the recorders appear to be in “recoverable condition,” though their internal memory modules have not yet been evaluated.
Investigators also began high-resolution mapping of the debris field and documented the position of major aircraft components. Additional specialists are focusing on engine condition, flight control continuity, and fire signatures.
No preliminary cause has been identified. Officials stressed that data from the recorders will be central in establishing sequencing in the final seconds of the flight — including control inputs, system warnings, and crew communications.
NTSB Member Todd Inman will brief the media today at 3:00 p.m. ET on its investigation into the crash.
A preliminary report is typically published within 2–3 weeks in NTSB investigations, with factual dockets released later in the process. A final probable-cause determination generally takes 12–24 months.
