(WAVE/WKYT ) – The NTSB is holding its second and final day of an investigative hearing into what led up to the deadly UPS plane crash on Nov. 4, 2025.
The hearing began Tuesday with the release of new surveillance video from SDF, as the engine and pylon bearing detached from the plane, causing the catastrophic crash off the runway that killed 15 people and injured dozens more. It shows the engine ripping off and flying several feet above the plane before landing on runway while the plane crashed off to the side and into an industrial area.
Investigators are taking a deep dive into safety and maintenance requirements relating to the pylon of the plane, the key portion that attaches the engine to the wing and what failed during take off.
The NTSB looked into safety and maintenance records dating back to 1990 on pylons attached to MD-11s, the style of plane involved in the deadly crash.
The morning proceedings began with a closer look at the aircraft structure involved and its fatigue and damage tolerance, or how much repeated stress or damage it can take before a catastrophic event.
The FAA broke down design and certification requirements for pylon separation and Boeing’s design approach for pylon attachment.
The second day of the hearing will solely focus on pylon design requirements. It will conclude at 1 p.m. Four witnesses, two from the FAA and two from Boeing, are scheduled to testify.
The initial investigation determined that the bearing holding the engine to the plane had fractured, along with the lug nut, which is considered a principal structural element and could be catastrophic if it ever were to fail.
Through the last six months of investigation, the NTSB has learned that the fracture of the bearing on the MD-11 was a known issue to Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft. However, the lug nut fracture was not known to anyone but Boeing, and therefore, was not apart of the FAA’s consideration of flight safety of the aircraft.
During the first day of the hearing, a timeline of MD-11 outer race fractures was laid out, revealing that the failure of the lug nut on UPS Flight 2976 was the eighth reported instant since 2002 and the only fatal instance reported regarding the MD-11 pylon issues. Most recently, FedEx had reported four separate fractures on the bearings of their MD-11s between 2017 and 2022. One was reported to both Boeing and the FAA, one to just Boeing, one to just the FAA and the final instance was not reported at all.
During the hearing, the FAA said it was unaware that the lug nuts were ever fracturing.