UPS never required detailed inspection of part that failed before engine flew off plane that crashed

UPS was not shown to require enhanced inspections that could have identified a bearing-related defect before an engine detached and the aircraft crashed, killing 15 people last fall, according to documents released Wednesday by crash investigators. Investigators said Boeing had recommended more detailed bearing inspections years earlier, but UPS told the National Transportation Safety Board that it did not mandate them inside the pylons of its MD-11 freighters. The Louisville, Kentucky crash occurred last November while the plane accelerated down the runway at Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing the three pilots and 12 people on the ground and injuring 23 others. The NTSB’s final determination may arrive late this year or early next. Officials from Boeing and the FAA acknowledged they misunderstood the flight-safety risks from a potential bearing and metal sheath failure. Aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti said UPS, Boeing, the FAA, and maintenance provider STE San Antonio Aerospace all contributed.