UPS Cargo Plane Accident in Alabama Left Both Pilots Dead
Posted on August 26, 2013 Written By: iadminlaw
A United Parcel Service cargo plane, U.P.S. Flight 1354, crashed while landing and approaching the ground in Birmingham, Alabama at the airport on Wednesday in early August. Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the accident.
The accident took place around 6 a.m. as the plane made its descent toward Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. The airport is about five miles northeast of downtown Birmingham. It went down in a field about a half mile from a north runway at the airport.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Airbus A300 is a twin-engine aircraft that is most commonly used to transport air cargo for companies on medium-range flights.
According to officials, the plane split in two and fire engulfed the entire frame upon impact with the ground. Firefighters and rescue workers spent about an hour and a half trying to extinguish the blaze, but two other explosions occurred after the crash. No one was injured on the ground, however. A trail of plane parts and packages were extended over the wide accident area.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash shortly. The cause of the accident is still unknown. As well as the NTSB, a team of specialists and engineers from France are going to be dispatched to Alabama to assist in the investigation. The company that created the engines is headquartered in France.
Mitch Nichols, president of U.P.S., said in a statement released Wednesday, “this incident is very unfortunate, and our thoughts and prayers are with those involved.”
The plane is equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines and had accumulated about 11,000 flight hours over about 6,800 flights before it became of use to the U.P.S. in 2003.
The families of the pilots are being informed of the unfortunate incident and fatalities. No memorial service or funeral service has been announced thus far.
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