The families of those who died in the UPS Cargo Airlines MD-11 crash in November are preparing to file a wrongful death lawsuit involving multiple parties. According to reports in the US media, the lawsuit includes serious allegations against UPS for negligence, engine manufacturer GE Aerospace, Boeing as the successor to McDonnell Douglas, the original manufacturer of the MD-11, and maintenance company VT San Antonio Aerospace.
The engine detached from the wing and the aircraft crashed into an industrial area
The tragic accident on 4 November 2025 occurred when the left engine of a UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft separated during take-off, causing the aircraft to crash into an industrial area shortly thereafter. Fourteen people, including the three crew members and civilians on the ground, lost their lives. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which released its preliminary report, announced that a fatigue crack had been detected on the aircraft.
Families file the first lawsuits
On 3 December, Clifford Law Offices and Sam Aguiar, representing the families of two of the victims, officially filed the first wrongful death lawsuit. Compensation is being sought on behalf of Angela Anderson (45), a customer at a business struck during the crash, and Trina Chavez (37), an employee at Grade A Auto Parts.
The petition details UPS Air’s negligence in safety measures, GE’s responsibility for engine design and manufacturing, Boeing’s responsibility for structural issues related to the MD-11 airframe, and errors in VT San Antonio Aerospace’s maintenance processes.
Clifford Law Offices stated that the MD-11 airframe was “old, worn, and far beyond its service life,” raising the question within the industry of whether “profit or safety” is being prioritised.
“An entire community was shaken”
Bradley Cosgrove of Clifford Law Offices made the following remarks about the impact of the crash:
“When a large cargo plane’s engine breaks off during take-off and becomes a massive fireball, an entire community is deeply shaken. Innocent lives are lost, and families are left with wounds that will last for years. Many people compared the explosion to a bomb going off right next to them.”
Class-action lawsuits also on the table
This lawsuit is not the first legal step taken regarding the crash. Two days after the accident, a class-action suit was filed by local residents and businesses against UPS, Boeing, and GE. That suit listed numerous negative effects, including toxic smoke inhalation, complete destruction of workplaces, and economic losses.
MD-11’s safety record under scrutiny
Another lawsuit filed by the Morgan & Morgan law firm referenced past incidents involving the MD-11 and GE’s CF6 engine series, including the 2009 Tokyo FedEx MD-11 crash and multiple engine failures.
It is noted that the MD-11 has the second-worst safety record among commercial aircraft, with a total of 11 hull-loss accidents—more than 5% of the entire fleet—occurring within just 12 years of production.
FAA issues emergency ‘airworthiness directive’
Following the crash, the FAA issued an emergency “Alert AD” covering the global MD-11 fleet, grounding flights for an indefinite period. The directive is expected to remain in effect next year as well. If the identified defects cannot be corrected technically or financially, industry experts believe the MD-11 may have made its final flight with this accident.
Active MD-11 fleet continues to shrink
Although the MD-11 is no longer used as a passenger aircraft, it continued to operate in cargo transport. Before the grounding, only three operators in the US had more than 60 active MD-11 aircraft in total:
- FedEx Express: 28
- Western Global Airlines: 27
- UPS Airlines: 14
The MD-11 made its first flight in 1990 and was delivered to launch customer Finnair later the same year.
