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

Investigators say UPS did not require detailed inspections for a part that later failed and contributed to an engine coming off before a crash, even after Boeing had recommended enhanced checks years earlier. New documents posted Wednesday by crash investigators contend UPS never mandated the specific bearing inspections inside the engine pylons that hold engines to the wings on its MD-11 freighters. UPS told the National Transportation Safety Board that it did not adopt the enhanced inspections because Boeing allegedly said incorrectly that bearing failure would not jeopardize flight safety. The crash occurred last fall while the aircraft was accelerating down the runway at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing the three pilots and 12 people on the ground, and injuring 23 more. Failures that prevented mechanics from taking a close look at the securing components were highlighted during two days of investigative hearings in May. The newly released documents add further details about the inspection decisions and their basis.