NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A prominent aviation safety attorney says a UPS cargo aircraft that crashed in Louisville last fall — killing 15 people, injuring dozens and devastating nearby businesses — should never have been allowed to fly after known design flaws were identified in the plane years earlier.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed in a report released January 14 that the November 4, 2025 crash involved a Boeing MD-11F with a structural defect in the left wing assembly that supports the engine. Despite multiple prior incidents involving the same defect, Boeing did not require operators to repair the problem, and the aircraft remained in service.
“This was not a hidden issue. This was a known, repeat defect,” said aviation attorney Keith Williams of The Keith Williams Law Group. “When a manufacturer is aware of a structural flaw that affects engine mounting, there is absolutely no justification for keeping that aircraft in the air.”
The UPS cargo jet departed Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, bound for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. Shortly after takeoff, the plane’s left engine caught fire. The aircraft crashed into several buildings near the airport, including a petroleum recycling facility, triggering a massive explosion.
Following the crash, Boeing grounded all MD-11F aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration later issued its own grounding order.
According to the NTSB, the same wing assembly defect appeared on at least four occasions across three different MD-11F aircraft. Investigators also found that Boeing’s service bulletin alerted operators to the flaw but stopped short of mandating repairs.
“That decision cost lives,” Williams said. “When manufacturers label a defect as ‘non-critical’ despite repeated failures, they are gambling with human life — and in this case, that gamble ended in tragedy.”
Williams is calling on the FAA to immediately ground any aircraft found to have similar unresolved structural defects and to strengthen oversight of manufacturer-issued service advisories.
“Even the smallest crack can turn catastrophic at 30,000 feet,” Williams said. “No cargo, no schedule, no profit margin is worth a single human life.”
In addition to his practice, Williams is the Past Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Aviation Litigation Section, and he is a member of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Mr. Williams is also a member and past president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.
For more information, call (615) 444-2900 or visit www.keithwilliamslawgroup.com.
