FAA Orders Immediate Inspections Of MD-11 Engine Pylons

The FAA has ordered immediate inspections of all McDonnell-Douglas MD-11s before further flight, mandating a voluntary grounding already in place based on Boeing recommendations while more is learned about the Nov. 4 UPS MD-11 fatal accident.

 

The emergency airworthiness directive (AD), issued late Nov. 8, targets engine pylons, but offers few additional details. It prohibits operations "until the airplane is inspected and all applicable corrective actions are performed using a method approved by" the FAA. 

 

The FAA directive "was prompted by an accident where the left-hand engine and pylon detached from the airplane during takeoff," the agency said, referring to the UPS accident. "The cause of the detachment is currently under investigation," it added. It does not reference any specific Boeing inspection recommendations.

 

With no specific inspection instructions, the AD is serving as a de facto placeholder while investigators continue their work.

 

The FAA directive follows Boeing's recommendations that MD-11 operators ground their tri-jets while investigators work to understand more about the Nov. 4 accident.

 

Boeing, which bought McDonnell-Douglas in 1997, made the recommendation late Nov. 7. “With safety as our top priority, we recommended to the three operators of the MD-11 Freighter that they suspend flight operations while additional engineering analysis is performed,” the manufacturer said. “This recommendation was made in an abundance of caution, and we will continue coordinating with the FAA on this matter.”

 

UPS and FedEx quickly followed Boeing’s guidance. The third remaining MD-11 operator, Western Global, did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

 

The manufacturer did not provide any details on what prompted its decision.

 

Boeing later said it supports the FAA's directive. “We will remain in close communication with the operators as they work to follow the requirements” of the AD, it added.

 

Investigators are in the early stages of the NTSB-led probe into the UPS accident. The MD-11, operating as Flight 2976, experienced a major engine-related failure as it was on its takeoff roll. The aircraft’s left (No. 1) GE Aerospace CF6-80C2 engine and most of its pylon separated from the wing as it was accelerating down Louisville’s Runway 17 Right. Videos show flames streaming from the inboard left wing as it took off.

 

The aircraft rotated and cleared the airport perimeter but went down in an industrial area less than 0.5 nm from the runway end, triggering a large fire. Officials have confirmed 14 fatalities, including all three pilots onboard Flight 2976.

 

Investigators have not determined whether an engine malfunction triggered the chain of events, or if the pylon separation was caused by some other issue. Also not clear is if either of the other two engines were affected. Investigators plan to conduct simulator tests over the weekend on several possible scenarios, NTSB Member Todd Inman told reporters Nov. 7.

 

The global MD-11 fleet is powered by two engine types: the CF6-80C2 series and Pratt & Whitney PW4000s. Boeing's recommendation and the FAA directive suggest investigators and safety experts are concerned about more than just the engine type. Boeing is among the parties participating in the probe.

 

Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery database shows 59 MD-11s in service or recently parked and 10 in storage. The active fleet of 59 aircraft belongs to FedEx (29), UPS (25) and Western Global (five). It includes six aircraft that were parked for at least 30 days before the grounding.