Breaking: FedEx Scheduled to Bring back MD-11F Flights mid-2026
The MD-11 Still Has One final Comeback
Jack Cook
12/20/20254 min read
In spite of the subsequent grounding following the UPS 2976 crash, FedEx plans bring the MD-11F back into service until its official retirement. (Above: A FedEx MD-11F Departing Los Angeles International Airport (July 1, 2022).
Background
The story of how we got here began last month in rather unfortunate circumstances. On November 4, 2025 a UPS MD-11F (tail number N259UP) operating as UPS Flight 2976 experienced a devastating crash shortly after takeoff from Louisville's Muhammed Ali International Airport. The crash resulted in 14 fatalities and was attributed based on preliminary reports to engine #1 (on the left wing) detaching and causing a massive fire. The flames and smoke triggered a compressor stall (essentially the choking of a jet engine for air) on the tail mounted #2 engine. Therefore, giving the crew little chance to save the airplane given their height and speed.
The crash destroyed the aircraft and created a path of destruction through the surrounding areas, including a UPS warehouse, one of Kentucky's Pretoleum Recycling company depots, a semi-truck parking area, and finally a scrapyard. The destruction was captured on numerous surveillance cameras. With footage clearly showing the left-engine missing and the massive fireball created by the MD-11's violent impact. All three crew members died, along with 11 people in the surrounding area of the crash.
While the crash of UPS 2976 itself was already devastating to anyone outside of the aviation industry who heard about and saw the subsequent footage, the crash also echoed similarities to an even bigger crash involving a similar aircraft. The worst airplane disaster in American Aviation history occurred on May 25, 1979, and involved an American Airlines DC-10 (the MD-11s predecessor and very similarly designed aircraft) operating as Flight 191.
As the DC-10 was Departing Chicago O Hare airport, the DC-10's left engine detached on takeoff in a similar manner, and also damaged the left wing. Thereby causing a loss of lift on the left wing during a critical phase of flight: Takeoff. 31 seconds after becoming airborne, American Airlines 191 rolled dramatically to the left and slammed into an airport hanger and nearby trailer park in a tremendous fireball. All 271 people on the DC-10 and another two people on the ground died. The investigation not only found improper maintenance practices at American Airlines played a key role, but also that the practices were being conducted by other airlines at the time including Continental Airlines. However, the aircraft's design also had played an indirect but contributing cause. Because of the improper maintenance and the design flaws, the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA grounded all DC-10s in the United States and other airlines overseas took similar steps. Eventually, the aircraft issues were fixed and the DC-10 returned to service and remained a useful aircraft for several more decades.
History Repeating Itself
The surveillance camera still images of Flight 2976 clearly show the left engine separating and subsequent fire.
The most iconic photo of American Airlines 191, clearly showing the left engine missing seconds before the crash.
In response to the UPS crash, the company grounded all MD-11s three days after the crash. FedEx (the company mentioned above) which also flies the MD-11 followed suit. And Western Global not only announced their own grounding, but even furloughed their MD-11 pilots. The aircraft that crashed as Flight 2976 had been in maintenance in San Antonio for a month shortly before the ill-fated flight. At the same time, the one major difference between UPS 2976, and American Airlines 191 is the timeline of the aircraft when the crashes occurred. Given the DC-10 was rather new, and also was used as a passenger plane at the time, there was more demand to keep the aircraft flying for as long as possible. However, with the UPS MD-11, the aircraft were alreading in the process of being phased out and replaced by UPS and FedEx. Also, the last passenger MD-11 flight happened in 2014 with KLM. Since then, all MD-11s operating around the world today are only flying cargo. Therefore, the use of the aircraft for cargo only and the fact the MD-11 is already in its sunset years as an aircraft anyway means that the MD-11 is quickly disappearing from the skies. Being replaced by large twin-jets such as the Boeing 777 and the venerable Boeing 747, both with similar or higher payloads and further range.
However, the announcement by FedEx to bring them back into service shows that regardless of what was the cause of UPS 2976, the aircraft still has a few more years and potential for cargo operators. Will UPS follow suit with FedEx and eventually bring their MD-11s back? We will have to wait and see, but it is certainly not impossible. Prior to the announcement by FedEx, it seemed like the MD-11 may have already had its day.
