Shocking new photos from the deadly Kentucky UPS plane crash reveal the moment one engine of the Boeing erupted into flames during takeoff.
The MD-11 jet could be seen falling to pieces on the runway during the Nov. 4 flight, which killed 14 people — all three crew members plus 11 on the ground.
The left engine flies off during takeoff and appears to smash into the fuselage of the plane, according to new photos released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB’s preliminary report found that a pylon that held the engine had “fatigue cracks” and signs of “overstress.”
The cracks were located in the left pylon’s aft mount, which connects the engine to the wing, according to the report.
The bearing that helps secure the connection was also found to have suffered a fracture, the NTSB added.
No signs of pre-existing fractures or deformations were found on the part that connected the engine to the wing, the report noted.
The doomed plane was built in 1991 and had been recently serviced.
Investigators said the takeoff for UPS Flight 2976 had been “uneventful” until the very last moment when the engine suddenly burst.
The plane never got more than 30 feet above ground before it crashed into a UPS warehouse and recycling facility just south of the Louisville airport.
The preliminary report found that the crash bore similarities to the deadly 1979 American Airlines crash, which killed 273 people after its left engine flew off during takeoff at Chicago O’Hare Airport.
The NTSB will continue its investigation into November’s deadly crash as it recovers and analyzes the cockpit voice and flight data recorder that were recovered from the crash site.
Investigators are also probing the maintenance history of the 34-year-old cargo plane, which had undergone repairs in Texas just weeks before the crash.
