The number of victims resulting from the transport jet which ignited and went down has reached 13, per recent announcements.
Official's Remarks
“On my way to the Teamsters’ vigil, I was informed of a 13th person that passed away as a outcome of the aircraft incident,” stated the city mayor in a public communication. “My prayers are with the families, associates and co-workers of all who were lost in this week’s tragedy. We will overcome this collectively.”
Casualties Identified
A statement from the carrier identified the officers on board the aircraft as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts reach out to each staff member who has been impacted and all in our community community – assisting you and making sure you obtain the attention and resources you need is our main concern,” the firm’s message read.
Inquiry Findings
Government officials revealed that the UPS cargo plane’s wing caught fire and an engine detached soon after departure from the airfield, causing the jet to plummet and erupt into a fireball.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is investigating the jet’s maintenance history, which was in the state for repairs weeks before the incident.
Flight tracking data revealed the aircraft was on the runway in San Antonio, Texas from the start of last month to mid-October.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was located in San Antonio,” said an NTSB member on Thursday, without a specific period. “We will review all elements of service that was completed, from the repair visit, right up to the day of the trip.”
Recovery of Critical Items
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were retrieved, and the motor was discovered on the tarmac.
The units – known as black boxes – were built to survive collision damage and intense heat from infernos, and they seemed to be in one piece when found amid the crash debris. Investigators plan on reviewing data from the black boxes.
Aircraft’s last data recordings showed an height of 475 feet and a velocity of 210 mph before the crash.
Maintenance Record
According to Federal Aviation Administration documents dated 18 September, a fissure on a structural piece inside the fuel container demanded repairs.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which stated it provides structural repairs for UPS’s MD-11 and manages a service location in San Antonio, declined to speak, but expressed it would work closely when investigators approached it.
Activities Resume
In the meantime, the hub activities continued last night with its express or evening process, representative the company official said. The three runways at the airport were also back in operation.
The UPS package handling facility in this location is the company’s most significant. The facility engages more than 20,000 people in the locality, manages 300 aircraft per day and processes more than four hundred thousand packages each hour.
Local Reaction
A memorial was conducted on the night of 6 November by the regional Teamsters Union, which supports workers at the aviation hub, the company’s primary freight center.
Worker representatives, which supports staff, began the gathering with a quiet tribute at 5.14pm, the estimated hour of the accident two days earlier.
“This incident was so sudden, so unexpected,” the mayor spoke to the group of two hundred. “No one had a opportunity to say goodbye to any of those who we have mourned.”
