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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially grounded all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft following a deadly UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville earlier this week.

Getting into it: The announcement was made over the weekend through an emergency airworthiness directive, which prohibits all MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft from operating until they undergo thorough inspections and any necessary corrective actions are approved and completed. According to the FAA, the directive was prompted by the “unsafe condition” identified in the aftermath of the crash (specifically the in-flight detachment of the aircraft’s left engine and pylon during takeoff). The agency stated that this condition is likely to exist or develop in other aircraft of the same type design and could result in a loss of safe flight or landing capabilities.

Until operators complete the mandated inspections and demonstrate airworthiness, MD-11s will remain grounded nationwide, affecting over 100 registered aircraft. Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, has publicly supported the FAA’s decision and issued a recommendation that operators suspend MD-11 operations pending further engineering analysis.

This comes as preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate that the UPS MD-11, Flight 2976, experienced a critical failure just seconds after liftoff. The aircraft was en route to Honolulu when, about 37 seconds after applying takeoff thrust, a warning bell began sounding in the cockpit and continued until the crash occurred 25 seconds later. Surveillance footage and early data suggest the left engine detached from the wing, likely rupturing a fuel tank and igniting a massive fireball. The plane reached only about 100 feet above the ground before crashing into a cluster of businesses near the Louisville airport, killing all three crew members and at least 11 people on the ground.

Investigators have already recovered key components from the crash site, including the cockpit voice recorder, which captured the final moments of the flight, and the detached engine and pylon, which are now being examined at a secure facility.

For UPS, which operates between 26 and 29 MD-11s (roughly 9% of its fleet), the grounding poses a serious logistical challenge. The company stated it has enacted contingency plans to minimize operational disruptions, but the sudden loss of nearly a tenth of its cargo capacity is likely to impact routing and package delivery efficiency, particularly as the peak shipping season approaches. FedEx, which also operates 28 MD-11s, is facing similar hurdles.

In the wake of the crash, a federal lawsuit has been filed against UPS, Boeing, and General Electric (the manufacturer of the aircraft’s CF6 engines) by victims’ families and local business owners. The complaint, filed in US District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, accuses the companies of gross negligence and recklessness, alleging the crash was preventable and rooted in design flaws, inadequate maintenance, or manufacturing defects.