National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the ongoing investigation into the November 4 crash of UPS Flight 2976.
According to the report, the Boeing MD-11F’s taxi and takeoff roll appeared normal until rotation. Airport surveillance footage captured the dramatic moment when the left engine (No. 1) and its pylon separated from the wing just after liftoff. As the engine broke away, it ignited and passed over the fuselage before striking the ground.
A separate fire also erupted near the left pylon’s attachment point on the wing and continued burning until the aircraft crashed.
Flight data showed the aircraft briefly became airborne but never exceeded approximately 30 feet above ground level, based on radio altimeter readings from the flight data recorder. FAA ADS-B data indicated a final recorded altitude of 481 feet mean sea level, or about 100 feet above ground level.
After clearing the blast fence at the end of Runway 17R, the aircraft’s left main landing gear struck the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the airport’s southern edge. The MD-11F then crashed into a storage yard and two additional buildings, including a petroleum recycling facility, where it was largely consumed by fire.
Investigators examining the recovered left pylon aft mount lug found signs of fatigue cracking alongside areas of overstress failure. On both the inboard and outboard fracture surfaces, fatigue cracks were identified at the junction where the aft lug bore meets the forward face of the lug.
