The number of fatalities resulting from the transport jet that burst into flames and plummeted has now climbed to 13, as confirmed by recent reports.
City Leader's Statement
“On my way to the Union’s candlelight gathering, I learned of a 13th person that died as a consequence of the aircraft crash,” stated the city mayor in a online message. “My heart is with the families, associates and co-workers of all who were lost in this recent tragedy. We will get through this together.”
Victims Identified
A release from the company identified the pilots aboard the aircraft as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts are extended to every UPSer who has been affected and everyone in our Louisville area – assisting you and making sure you receive the care and resources you need is our main concern,” the organization’s message expressed.
Probe Findings
National investigators revealed that the UPS cargo plane’s left wing caught fire and an power plant separated soon after takeoff from the aviation hub, causing the aircraft to plummet and erupt into a blaze.
The NTSB has said it is investigating the aircraft’s upkeep logs, which was in Texas for fixes a period before the accident.
Flight tracking records showed the aircraft was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from the start of last month to last week.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was there in San Antonio,” said an investigator on later, without providing a exact period. “We will review every piece of repairs that was completed, from the San Antonio time, straight to the date of the trip.”
Retrieval of Key Evidence
The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered, and the power plant was discovered on the airfield.
The recorders – referred to as black boxes – were built to withstand accident forces and extreme heat from infernos, and they seemed to be intact when discovered amid the crash debris. Authorities will reviewing information from the recorders.
The plane’s last flight details indicated an height of 475 feet and a speed of that speed before the impact.
Repair History
Per Federal Aviation Administration records dated last month, a crack on a structural piece in the tank area needed maintenance.
Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which said it supplies aircraft servicing for UPS’s MD-11 and operates a repair facility in that city, refused to provide remarks, but said it would cooperate fully when investigators approached it.
Activities Continue
In the meantime, the hub services continued Wednesday night with its overnight also known as evening process, official a representative stated. The three tarmacs at the airport were likewise reopened.
The UPS package handling facility in the city is the organization’s most significant. The hub hires more than twenty thousand workers in the locality, handles numerous trips daily and organizes more than 400,000 parcels per hour.
Local Reaction
A memorial was conducted on the night of 6 November by the area labor union, which supports workers at the aviation hub, the company’s largest shipping facility.
Worker representatives, which supports employees, started the memorial with a period of reflection at that time, the rough hour of the accident before.
“This event was so sudden, so unexpected,” the leader addressed the group of 200. “No one had a chance to say goodbye to any of those who we have said farewell to.”
