The number of lives lost due to the transport jet which burst into flames and went down has now reached 13, as confirmed by official announcements.
Official's Remarks
While en route to the Union’s memorial service, I received word of a additional fatality that passed away as a result of the aircraft incident,” stated the municipal leader in a social media post. “My thoughts is with the loved ones, friends and co-workers of all who were taken in this recent disaster. We will get through this together.”
Victims Identified
A release from UPS named the officers aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts go out to all staff member who has been touched and everyone in our community community – helping you and guaranteeing you receive the support and assistance you need is our priority,” the company’s communication read.
Inquiry Details
Federal officials revealed that the freight aircraft’s left wing caught fire and an power plant fell off soon after liftoff from the airfield, resulting in the plane to fall and erupt into a blaze.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is probing the aircraft’s service record, that was in the state for repairs a period prior to the incident.
Aviation data indicated the jet was on the ground in San Antonio, Texas from early September to last week.
“We are knowledgeable that this plane was located in that city,” stated an official on the following day, without a specific period. “We will examine all elements of service that was done, even the repair visit, all the way to the date of the journey.”
Retrieval of Critical Components
The pilot’s recorder and flight data recorder were retrieved, and the power plant was found on the tarmac.
The units – known as data containers – were constructed to survive accident forces and intense temperatures from blazes, and they seemed to be undamaged when discovered among the remains. Authorities intend to analyzing information from the recorders.
The plane’s last data recordings indicated an altitude of 475 ft and a velocity of that speed ahead of the impact.
Service Background
According to Federal Aviation Administration documents dated 18 September, a fracture on a component in the tank area demanded repairs.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which stated it provides structural repairs for UPS’s MD-11 and manages a maintenance center in Texas, chose not to speak, but said it would work closely when investigators contacted it.
Activities Continue
At the same time, UPS Worldport services restarted that evening with its express or nighttime process, official Jim Mayer stated. Each of the three runways at the airport were likewise open again.
The sorting center in the city is the company’s most significant. The center engages over 20,000 workers in the locality, handles 300 flights daily and organizes in excess of four hundred thousand items per hour.
Public Response
A memorial was organized on the night of that date by the area Teamsters Union, which acts for employees at the aviation hub, the company’s primary shipping facility.
The union chapter, which supports staff, started the memorial with a quiet tribute at 5.14pm, the approximate hour of the incident two days earlier.
“This tragedy was so sudden, so unexpected,” the leader addressed the assembly of 200. “No one had a moment to say goodbye to each of those who we have mourned.”
