(WAVE) – U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to permanently ground the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 following last November’s crash of UPS Flight 2976 in Louisville.
In a letter to the FAA, McGarvey cited initial reporting and information from the National Transportation Safety Board indicating the aircraft experienced a structural failure in which the left engine and pylon detached from the plane. He argued the crash may reflect broader safety concerns with the MD-11.
McGarvey pointed to the aircraft’s historical safety record, writing that the model has a “long-documented history of mechanical problems.” The letter states the MD-11 has had at least 10 hull-loss accidents since entering service in 1990 and cites Boeing, the manufacturer, as the source for that figure.
“Given the MD-11’s safety record, the NTSB’s preliminary report on the Louisville crash, and the FAA’s statutory obligations, I urge the FAA to take immediate steps to permanently ground the MD-11,” McGarvey wrote.
The model has been paused since November, but this measure would permanently ground the plane.
The FAA has not publicly responded to the letter, and the NTSB investigation into the UPS crash remains ongoing.
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day investigative hearing May 19–20 as part of its ongoing investigation into the crash.