The tally of fatalities due to the freight aircraft which burst into flames and plummeted has risen to 13, per official statements.
Mayor's Remarks
While en route to the Teamsters’ vigil, I received word of a additional fatality that lost their life as a result of the UPS flight 2976 incident,” stated the municipal leader in a social media post. “My heart is with the families, friends and colleagues of all who were killed in this recent tragedy. We will endure this together.”
Casualties Confirmed
A statement from UPS listed the pilots on board the aircraft as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our sympathies reach out to each UPSer who has been touched and all in our local region – assisting you and guaranteeing you receive the support and resources you need is our priority,” the firm’s statement expressed.
Investigation Findings
Government investigators revealed that the freight aircraft’s port side wing ignited and an power plant detached soon after takeoff from the aviation hub, resulting in the jet to fall and erupt into a inferno.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is examining the plane’s maintenance history, which was in Texas for repairs several weeks before the incident.
Aircraft records indicated the aircraft was on the ground in the Texas city from the start of last month to 18 October.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was there in San Antonio,” remarked an NTSB member on Thursday, not giving a specific time frame. “We will examine all elements of service that was performed, from the repair visit, straight to the date of the flight.”
Recovery of Key Components
The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were recovered, and the motor was located on the tarmac.
The recorders – known as data containers – were constructed to withstand accident forces and intense temperatures from fires, and they looked to be undamaged when discovered within the wreckage. Officials plan on examining recordings from the black boxes.
Jet’s concluding recorded information displayed an height of 475 ft and a speed of 210 miles per hour prior to the impact.
Service History
Based on FAA documents dated last month, a fracture on a structural piece in the tank area needed fixes.
Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which stated it offers structural repairs for UPS’s aircraft and manages a maintenance center in Texas, chose not to speak, but said it would work closely when officials contacted it.
Services Restart
In the meantime, the hub operations restarted that evening with its express or night sort process, spokesperson Jim Mayer said. Each of the three landing strips at the airport were likewise reopened.
The UPS package handling facility in the city is the organization’s most significant. The hub engages more than a large number of people in the area, handles 300 aircraft daily and organizes over four hundred thousand packages each hour.
Local Response
A memorial was conducted on the night of 6 November by the area Teamsters Union, which represents workers at the aviation hub, the organization’s biggest shipping facility.
Teamsters Local 89, which stands for UPS workers, began the gathering with a quiet tribute at that time, the estimated moment of the crash before.
“This event was so unexpected, so unforeseen,” the official spoke to the assembly of 200. “No one had a moment to part to any one of those who we have lost.”
