Investigators have revealed a tragic twist in the deadly UPS cargo plane crash in the United States: the three crew members killed were originally scheduled to fly on a different aircraft before a last-minute switch. The jet they ultimately boarded had recently undergone maintenance for a fuel tank crack, raising questions about its safety record.
UPS has released the names of the crew members who died in the crash of flight 2976: Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond. They were among 12 people killed in the accident.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Airport in Kentucky when the number one engine on its left wing caught fire and fell off. The impact tore through nearby businesses, killing nine people on the ground, including a child. Another nine people remain missing.
Officials have confirmed that the 34-year-old plane was grounded for six weeks for repairs to a crack in the fuel tank. Investigators are now scrutinizing maintenance records and examining reports that the crew was switched to this jet due to maintenance issues on the original aircraft.
The plane's black box, containing flight data and cockpit voice recorders, has been recovered. Investigators have begun downloading hours of information from both devices. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows that at the time of the crash, the plane was about 145 meters above the ground and traveling at about 340 kilometers per hour.
The investigation into the catastrophic crash is expected to take months as authorities work to determine the exact cause.
