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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially cleared the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 to return to the skies following a comprehensive safety review.
The aircraft had been grounded since November 2025, after a tragic cargo flight accident in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed 14 lives.
Investigators determined that the crash was caused by engine detachment due to fatigue cracks in a critical wing component, prompting a worldwide suspension of the fleet.
In response to the FAA’s green light, Boeing—which now oversees the McDonnell Douglas line—has distributed mandatory inspection and repair protocols to all current owners.
While the regulatory hurdle has been cleared, the response among major cargo carriers has been split.
UPS, the operator involved in the initial accident, has decided to permanently retire its MD-11 fleet as part of a pre-existing modernisation plan, confirming the aircraft is no longer part of its active operations.
Conversely, FedEx has moved quickly to return its MD-11s to service, with two aircraft already resuming commercial flights between Memphis, Miami, and Los Angeles.
These flights followed the successful completion of the newly mandated repairs and rigorous test runs.
As the fleet returns to the air, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is set to hold a formal investigative hearing later this month to further examine the technical failures that led to the grounding.
