The tally of lives lost resulting from the UPS cargo plane which caught fire and plummeted has reached 13, according to recent statements.
Official's Statement
“On my way to the Teamsters’ vigil, I was informed of a additional fatality that passed away as a result of the UPS flight 2976 accident,” stated the city mayor in a social media post. “My thoughts is with the loved ones, companions and colleagues of all who were taken in this recent tragedy. We will get through this as one.”
Casualties Named
An announcement from UPS named the officers aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts are extended to each employee who has been impacted and all in our local community – assisting you and making sure you receive the attention and resources you need is our priority,” the company’s statement expressed.
Investigation Details
National investigators revealed that the UPS cargo plane’s port side wing ignited and an engine fell off shortly after takeoff from the airfield, leading to the jet to crash and erupt into a fireball.
The NTSB stated it is probing the jet’s maintenance history, that was in the state for repairs weeks before the crash.
Aircraft information revealed the jet was on the runway in the Texas city from 3 September to 18 October.
“We are knowledgeable that this aircraft was located in that city,” remarked an official on the following day, without providing a exact date range. “We will examine each aspect of maintenance that was done, including the San Antonio visit, all the way to the time of the journey.”
Findings of Critical Components
The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were retrieved, and the engine was discovered on the runway.
The devices – called black boxes – were designed to withstand accident forces and severe fire from blazes, and they looked to be intact when found within the crash debris. Investigators plan on analyzing recordings from the black boxes.
Aircraft’s final recorded information indicated an altitude of that level and a velocity of 210 mph before the crash.
Service Record
Per FAA records dated that date, a fissure on a structural piece within the tank area demanded maintenance.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which indicated it offers aircraft servicing for the carrier’s MD-11 and runs a repair facility in San Antonio, declined to provide remarks, but expressed it would cooperate fully when relevant authorities approached it.
Services Resume
Meanwhile, the facility operations resumed last night with its Next Day Air also known as night sort operation, spokesperson the company official stated. The three landing strips at the airport were also reopened.
The UPS package handling facility in the city is the company’s biggest. The center employs in excess of 20,000 workers in the region, processes 300 flights each day and processes over a huge volume of items an hour.
Public Support
A gathering was conducted on the late afternoon of 6 November by the area Teamsters Union, which supports employees at the aviation hub, the company’s largest air cargo hub.
The union chapter, which stands for employees, started the memorial with a period of reflection at 5.14pm, the approximate hour of the incident previously.
“This tragedy was so sudden, so unexpected,” the official spoke to the group of attendees. “No one had a opportunity to bid farewell to any one of those who we have said farewell to.”
