The number of fatalities due to the freight aircraft that burst into flames and plummeted has reached 13, according to official reports.
Mayor's Statement
Traveling to the Teamsters’ vigil, I learned of a 13th person that died as a consequence of the UPS flight 2976 crash,” wrote the local official in a social media post. “My thoughts is with the loved ones, friends and peers of all who were taken in this recently occurred calamity. We will get through this together.”
Victims Confirmed
A release from UPS listed the officers aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts reach out to all staff member who has been affected and everyone in our local area – supporting you and making sure you get the attention and assistance you need is our focus,” the company’s communication stated.
Probe Findings
National officials disclosed that the freight aircraft’s left wing ignited and an motor detached just after takeoff from the aviation hub, resulting in the aircraft to crash and erupt into a inferno.
The NTSB announced it is probing the jet’s service record, which was in the state for fixes several weeks prior to the incident.
Aircraft data indicated the jet was on the tarmac in the Texas city from the start of last month to mid-October.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was present in San Antonio,” remarked an investigator on the following day, not giving a exact date range. “We will look at every piece of service that was performed, from the Texas time, all the way to the day of the trip.”
Retrieval of Vital Items
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were recovered, and the power plant was discovered on the tarmac.
The recorders – referred to as flight recorders – were constructed to survive crash impacts and intense heat from blazes, and they appeared to be in one piece when discovered within the crash debris. Authorities will examining data from the black boxes.
The plane’s last data recordings displayed an elevation of 475 feet and a velocity of 210 miles per hour ahead of the accident.
Service Background
Per FAA files dated last month, a crack on a part within the center wing fuel tank required maintenance.
Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which said it supplies airframe maintenance for the company’s jet and manages a service location in San Antonio, refused to provide remarks, but stated it would work closely when officials approached it.
Operations Continue
Meanwhile, the hub activities continued that evening with its express or evening operation, official Jim Mayer said. All three runways at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were also back in operation.
The distribution hub in Louisville is the company’s most significant. The center hires more than twenty thousand individuals in the locality, processes 300 aircraft per day and sorts over 400,000 packages an hour.
Public Support
A candlelight vigil was organized on the night of that date by the local Teamsters Union, which represents workers at the Louisville airport, the firm’s biggest air cargo hub.
Worker representatives, which supports employees, began the gathering with a moment of silence at that time, the rough time of the incident two days earlier.
“This event was so abrupt, so surprising,” the official told the crowd of attendees. “No one had a opportunity to part to any of those who we have mourned.”
