The FAA expanded an emergency airworthiness directive first issued last week for Boeing MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft, extending the order to include MD-10 and multiple DC-10 variants.
The updated directive, released Friday, cites structural similarities in the engine-pylon design across the models. For this reason, it requires operators to halt further flight until each airplane completes an FAA-approved inspection and any necessary corrective actions. The agency said the broader grounding is an interim measure and noted that the cause of the original failure remains under investigation.
According to the FAA, the action supersedes the prior AD, which was issued on November 8 following the crash of a UPS MD-11 during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. In that earlier directive, regulators prohibited additional flights of MD-11 series aircraft after investigators determined the airplane’s left engine and pylon had separated from the wing. The National Transportation Safety Board said in a media briefing that the pylon was recovered still attached to the engine and would undergo detailed examination off-site.
According to Flightradar24 data, the updated order is expected to practically impact eight U.S.-registered aircraft.
The FAA said the severity of the unsafe condition warranted issuing the new emergency directive, apart from any prior notice or comment for the DC-10 and MD-10. The agency emphasized that it may consider additional rulemaking once more information becomes available.
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