FAA Grounds the MD-11

The FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD 2025-23-51) Saturday requiring immediate inspection of all Boeing MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft following an accident last week in which an engine and pylon detached from the aircraft during takeoff, leading to a fatal crash. The agency said the cause of the failure remains under investigation but determined the unsafe condition could compromise the aircraft’s ability to maintain safe flight and landing.

Airlines Ground Fleets in Response

Effective upon receipt, the directive prohibits further flight of any MD-11 or MD-11F until the airplane is inspected and corrective actions, once prescribed, are completed using methods approved by the FAA’s Continued Operational Safety Branch. The FAA said the action was taken under its emergency authority because of the “severity of the unsafe condition.”

UPS, which operates one of the world’s largest MD-11 fleets, had already grounded its aircraft “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety,” the company said in a statement a day earlier. The carrier said the move, made at Boeing’s recommendation, affects about 9 percent of the UPS Airlines fleet and that contingency plans are in place to maintain operations.

Broader Cargo Impact and Interim Measures

FedEx and Western Global Airlines, which also operate MD-11 freighters, are affected by the directive as well. Grounding the fleets of all three carriers could cause short-term shifts in global cargo logistics as operators reassign routes and aircraft.

The FAA described the emergency directive as an interim action pending completion of the ongoing investigation. Further rulemaking may follow once the cause of the engine separation is identified. The agency said the order was issued without the usual public comment period because the risk to flight safety required immediate action.