LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A UPS MD-11 freighter involved in a crash on Tuesday had recently completed six weeks at a maintenance facility in San Antonio, Texas, according to the NTSB.
The aircraft, which is being phased out by UPS, is 34 years old and had documented issues during its maintenance. Records indicate a crack was found in the center wing upper fuel tank and corrosion detected on a longeron, both crucial structural components.
The NTSB is reviewing all maintenance conducted on the aircraft, from its servicing in San Antonio to the date of the incident. “We’re currently downloading that information and going back, and we will actually… look at every piece of maintenance that was done,” said Todd Inman, an NTSB investigator.
The plane was in San Antonio from September 3 to October 18, and flight logs show it was operational almost every day following the repairs. The NTSB’s investigation into the aircraft’s history and maintenance records will be thorough and time-consuming.