Two wrongful death lawsuits were filed Wednesday over last month’s fiery UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed 14 people. Attorneys for the families of Angela Anderson, 45, and Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37, are suing UPS, Boeing, GE and others.
Chavez worked at Grade A Auto Parts and Recycling, one of the businesses destroyed by the impact of the plane crash and resulting fire. Anderson was there dropping off scrap when the plane hit. Now, both are seeking punitive damages.
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UPS plane crash: What happened?
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane went down during takeoff on Nov. 4 after its left engine detached, triggering a massive fireball.
The crash killed all three crew members on board and 11 people on the ground. Another 23 people were injured.
A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found fatigue cracks in the engine mount and signs of “overstress failure.” They’re key findings lawyers for the families say point to years of warnings that were either missed or ignored.
What accusations are outlined in the lawsuit?
The wrongful death lawsuits allege negligence against not only UPS and UPS AIR, but GE, the engine manufacturer, and Boeing, which owns McDonnell Douglas.
The lawsuit also names AT San Antonio Aerospace Inc., “the company responsible for certain inspections and maintenance before the crash.”
In a statement, attorney Robert Clifford compared last month’s crash to the crash of another McDonnell Douglas aircraft 46 years ago.
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“The report reveals an extreme similarity between the crash in Louisville and the May 1979 DC-10 crash of American Airlines Flight 191 in Chicago, killing 271 aboard,” Clifford said. “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 … certainly triggering questions about profit over safety.
Since the UPS crash, all MD-11s, including those owned by FedEx and Western Global, have been grounded pending inspections and repairs, if needed. The Federal Aviation Administration expanded its Emergency Airworthiness Directive to include nine other models of similar planes, like the MD-10 and the DC-10. The planes “are subject to the same unsafe condition” as the MD-11, according to the FAA.
Immediately after the crash, a separate federal class action lawsuit was filed by Morgan & Morgan. It was filed “on behalf of individuals and businesses affected by the crash and subsequent explosion.”
