First wrongful death lawsuits filed in Louisville UPS cargo jet crash

Two of the families who lost loved ones in last month's devastating UPS cargo jet crash are taking their first steps toward getting answers.

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Two Chicago aviation law firms announced they're filing the first wrongful death lawsuits connected to the November 4th disaster that killed 14 people near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Clifford Law Offices and local attorney Sam Aguiar are representing the families of Angela Anderson and Trinadette "Trina" Chavez- two mothers who were simply going about their day when tragedy struck.

Angela, 45, was a customer at a local business when the MD-11 cargo jet lost its left engine shortly after takeoff and crashed into a nearby industrial park. Trina, 37, was a mother of two working at Grade A Auto Parts, one of several businesses destroyed in the massive explosion. At least 23 others were injured in the crash.

The lawsuits name several defendants: UPS, UPS AIR, engine manufacturer GE, Boeing (which acquired the MD-11's original manufacturer McDonnell Douglas), and VT San Antonio Aerospace, Inc., the company responsible for certain inspections and maintenance before the crash.

"When an engine detaches from a large cargo jet during takeoff, and the aircraft bursts into a fireball visible for miles, an entire community is affected," said Bradley Cosgrove, a partner at Clifford Law Offices. "Innocent lives are lost, leaving deep holes in families."

The attorneys are holding a press conference today at noon at Aguiar's Louisville office to discuss what comes next.

Troubling similarities to a historic crash

For veteran aviation attorney Robert Clifford, this disaster brought back painful memories. When he heard about an engine detaching from a cargo jet, he immediately thought of the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 crash at Chicago's O'Hare Airport- a tragedy that killed 273 people when a left engine separated shortly after takeoff.

"I worked on those very sad cases for years, and we got answers for families who deserved justice," Clifford said.

The similarities between the two crashes are striking. The NTSB's preliminary report from November 20th found fatigue fractures in bolts and locking devices on the 34-year-old aircraft, raising serious questions about whether the plane was simply too old to be flying safely.

"What is new about this case is the age of the aircraft suggests that this plane was old, tired, and well beyond its useful life," Clifford noted, "certainly triggering questions about profit over safety."

A fleet grounded indefinitely

The ripple effects of this crash extend far beyond Louisville. According to an internal statement from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore, the entire UPS MD-11 fleet is grounded for months, not weeks. Investigators found fatigue cracks in structural components, prompting fleet-wide inspections that may also affect FedEx's MD-11 aircraft.

The FAA grounded all MD-11s on November 8th, issuing an Airworthiness Directive because officials determined "the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design." There are approximately 82 MD-11s operating worldwide, with 70 based in the United States.

What happens next

The three pilots aboard UPS Flight 2976 were among those killed when the plane crashed around 5:15 p.m. on that Tuesday evening, on what should have been a routine flight to Honolulu. The resulting fire and smoke plumes stretched nearly a mile around the airport.

NTSB investigators are examining debris scattered across a one-mile area. The plane's black boxes have been recovered, but Todd Inman, an NTSB member, cautioned that determining the probable cause will likely take up to a year.

For the families left behind, that's a year of waiting for answers to impossible questions: Why did this happen? Could it have been prevented? Who's responsible?

"Through these lawsuits, we aim to get the answers that these family members deserve for their heartbreaking losses," Aguiar said.

The central question haunting this investigation: Were key components kept in service too long, and why did the systems designed to prevent such disasters fail?

"The aviation industry needs to learn not to repeat its mistakes," Clifford said. "Families who lost loved ones in this crash deserve the truth and full accountability."

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