Investigators from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have identified a critical aircraft component with a known history of failure as central to the fatal cargo jet crash in Louisville, Kentucky, last November that killed 15 people, including crew members and bystanders on the ground.
The preliminary findings indicate the spherical bearing assembly within the left engine pylon’s aft mounting structure fractured due to long‑term fatigue cracking, causing the entire engine and pylon to separate from the wing during takeoff.
According to the NTSB, the aircraft manufacturer had issued a service bulletin in 2011 alerting operators that this bearing assembly had failed on four previous occasions across three similar freighter aircraft. However, at that time, the issue was not classified as a flight‑safety risk, and only periodic visual inspections every 60 months were recommended rather than mandatory part replacement.
The specific jet involved in the crash had not undergone inspection of the affected parts since October 2021, and was not scheduled for another detailed check for several thousand additional flight cycles under the old guidance. Investigators found significant fatigue cracking on the fractured component, suggesting the known weakness may not have been fully addressed by past advisories.
Following the crash, more than 60 similar cargo aircraft operating this model have been grounded while additional inspections and corrective actions are evaluated by regulators and operators.
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