FedEx has begun returning its McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft to service after the FAA lifted a grounding order put in place following the Nov. 4 UPS Flight 2976 accident in Louisville, Kentucky. FedEx operated two MD-11 commercial flights Sunday, one from Memphis to Los Angeles and another from Memphis to Miami, after completing required work on the aircraft. The company previously said the grounding could cost up to $175 million.
“After extensive review, the FAA approved Boeing’s protocol for safely returning MD-11 airplanes to service,” the FAA said in a statement provided to FreightWaves. “Airlines must replace a structural component before they can fly the aircraft.”
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., called on the FAA to permanently ground the MD-11 late last month, citing the Louisville accident and the aircraft’s service history in an April 24 letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
FedEx said it worked with Boeing and the FAA to validate that required inspections and maintenance actions were completed on the aircraft being returned to service. FedEx also told employees the fleet would be brought back gradually as aircraft move through maintenance and pilots complete refresher training.
The grounding followed the UPS MD-11F accident shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Three crewmembers aboard the aircraft and 11 people on the ground were killed, while 23 others on the ground were injured. In a January update, the agency said fatigue cracking was found in the left pylon aft mount spherical bearing, part of the structure connecting the engine pylon to the wing.
The NTSB has scheduled a two-day investigative hearing on the accident for May 19-20 in Washington. UPS has since retired its MD-11 fleet, while FedEx has said it plans to continue operating the type until 2032.
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