Documents show UPS said it did not require enhanced inspections before Louisville cargo plane crash, killing 15

UPS said it never required enhanced inspections that crash investigators contend could have identified a failing part before an engine separated from a UPS cargo plane, according to new documents posted this week by federal investigators. The crash occurred in November 2025 at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and killed 15 people, according to the materials described in the reports.

The filings, released by crash investigators and reported Tuesday by national outlets, focus on enhanced bearing inspections inside the pylons that hold the engines to the aircraft wings of UPSs MD-11 freighters. Investigators said the enhanced inspections were not mandated by UPS in the lead-up to the accident, and they described the role of bearing failure in the sequence of events before the engine flew off.

One report said Boeing had recommended the enhanced inspections years earlier, but that UPS told the National Transportation Safety Board it did not implement them because, according to UPS, Boeing had incorrectly indicated that bearing failure in the relevant area would not jeopardize the safety of flight. Under that account, UPS argued the basis for enhanced inspections was removed or not required based on Boeing guidance.

Federal investigators described a preliminary sequence in which the pylons holding the engine to the wings separated from the aircraft before the engine flew off, leading to the crash shortly thereafter. Investigators also reported that the plane was accelerating down the runway when the incident occurred, and that the crash resulted in deaths of three pilots and 12 people on the ground.

The newest documentation also described what UPS submitted to the NTSB regarding the inspections and how UPS determined whether the specific inspection steps would be required for its fleet. The reports said the enhanced bearing inspections were never required, despite the earlier Boeing recommendation, and that UPSs position was based on Boeing information it received about the safety implications of bearing failure.

UPS has not issued a public statement in the coverage described in the initial reports beyond what investigators relayed in the documents posted to the NTSB docket. Investigators are still working toward a final determination, and at least one report said the NTSB is not expected to release its final crash report until late this year or possibly into next year.

The crash in Louisville has been a central public safety matter for Kentucky residents, as it involved a large cargo aircraft operating from a major airport and resulted in deaths on the ground. As the NTSB review continues, the question of what inspections were required, what information operators relied upon from aircraft manufacturers, and how changes were incorporated into maintenance programs remains a key issue for regulators, airlines, and the public.

In Kentucky, officials and the airport community will be watching the continuing federal process for how investigators characterize oversight, manufacturing guidance, and maintenance obligations. The NTSB final report, when released, is expected to address causation and contributing factors, including what the documents show about inspections and the decision-making that preceded the engine separation.