Newly released video footage captures the moment a UPS cargo plane's engine violently tore off during takeoff last November in Louisville, Kentucky, resulting in a massive explosion that claimed 15 lives. The video was presented Tuesday during a federal investigative hearing into the crash of Flight 2976, which occurred on November 4. The incident killed three people aboard the aircraft and 12 individuals on the ground.
Cause of the Engine Separation
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated at the hearing that the engine separation was caused by fatigue cracks on the left wing's pylon, the structure that attaches the engine to the wing. The hearing was attended by representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and UPS. Shortly after takeoff, the left engine detached from the plane, leading to the aircraft's total destruction.
Still images from the same video had been released shortly after the tragedy. The Boeing MD-11F continued to climb to approximately 30 feet above ground level after losing its engine before the aircraft was destroyed. Multiple previously released videos showed a massive fireball filling the sky.
Casualties and Injuries
In addition to the 15 deaths, one of which occurred 51 days after the crash, two people on the ground suffered serious injuries, and 21 others sustained minor injuries, authorities reported.
“Please know that your loved ones are the reason we’re here,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday in a message to those affected by the crash. “We want to find out what happened. And after this investigation concludes, our work does not end ... so that no one else has to suffer a similar tragedy.”
The Boeing plane model resumed flying last week after completing an extensive review by the FAA.
