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Two wrongful death lawsuits have been filed following the tragic crash of a UPS cargo plane in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 4. The lawsuits, filed by Clifford Law Offices of Chicago and attorney Sam Aguiar of Louisville, represent the families of Angela Anderson and Trinadette Chavez, who were among the 14 victims killed in the crash. The suits allege that corporate decisions prioritizing profit over safety led to the disaster.
The lawsuits name multiple defendants, including UPS, General Electric, which manufactured the plane's engine, Boeing, and VT San Antonio Aerospace Inc., a maintenance provider. The crash occurred when UPS Flight 2976, an MD-11 cargo jet, crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The left engine caught fire and detached during takeoff, causing the plane to crash into an industrial park, resulting in a massive explosion and fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident and has found fatigue fractures in bolts and locking devices on the 34-year-old aircraft. The NTSB also reported that the cockpit voice recorder captured a repeating bell sound during the takeoff roll, indicating the crew's struggle to control the aircraft.
Bradley Cosgrove, a partner at Clifford Law Offices, described the event as "an unacceptable tragedy" and highlighted a catastrophic failure across safety systems. The lawsuits seek answers for the victims' families, while veteran aviation attorney Robert Clifford suggested that the age of the aircraft raises concerns about safety being compromised for profit. Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all MD-11 aircraft pending further investigation.