The companies Freight Ups and FedEx based their fleets on the MD-11 plane days after the plane crash that killed 14 people in Kentucky.
The grounded MD-11s are the same type of plane involved in Tuesday’s crash at a UPS facility in Louisville. They were originally built by McDonnell Douglas until it was taken over by Boeing.
UPS on Friday said the fleet was temporarily ordered “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety”.
“The grounding is effective immediately. We made this decision proactively on the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,” the company said in a statement.
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.”
Meanwhile, FedEx said it would ground the plane while the company conducted “a full safety review based on the manufacturer’s recommendations”.
UPS and FedEx say the MD-11S makes up about 9% and 4% of their fleets, respectively.
Contingency plans are in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the reliable service the world relies on around the world.
Western Global Airlines is the only other US Cargo Airline flying the MD-11S, according to Aviation Analytics Firm Cymium. The airline has 16 MD-11s in its fleet, but 12 of them have been placed in storage. The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment outside of business hours early Saturday.
Fourteen people have been confirmed dead in the Louisville crash, including pilot Richard Wartenberg and International Relief Strive Captact Dana Diamond. Officials said they feared the death toll would rise, with nine people reported missing after the crash.
A federal investigator said the cargo’s left wing caught fire and an engine fell shortly after it took off from Louisville Ali International Airport, causing it to crash and explode in a fireball.
“Our hearts go out to every officer affected and everyone in our Louisville Community — supporting you as you need the care and resources you need,” the company said in an earlier statement.
The National Transportation Security Administration said it was reviewing the maintenance history of the plane, which had been in Texas for repairs in the weeks before the crash.
Reuters reported flight tracking data showing the plane on the ground in San Antonio, Texas, from 3 September 18 September 18 October. Flight records suggest the plane was subjected to weather maintenance, although it is not clear what was done.
The Cookpit recorder and Data Recorder were recovered, and the engine was found on the plane. The sound of the tooker in the Cookpit was captured by a bell ringing in the cockpit, a federal investigator said.
The recorders – known as black boxes – are built to withstand the effects of crashes and intense heat from fires, and they appear to be free of debris. Investigators plan to review data from black boxes.
The UPS facility where Tuesday’s crash occurred is the company’s largest package handling hub. The facility employs more than 20,000 people in the region, handles 300 flights daily and handles 400,000 packages an hour.
Worldport operations resumed Wednesday night with the next day of air, or night class, operations, spokesman Jim Mayer said.
Reuters and the Associated Press prompted reporting
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