Nine people were killed and 11 injured after a UPS MD-11 freighter crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff from Louisville. The NTSB and FAA are investigating, with early focus on a possible engine separation.

New ground footage shows UPS MD-11 erupting in a fireball as it made its way down the runway before it exploded.

UPS and FedEx will ground their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes “out of an abundance of caution” following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky, the companies announced late Friday.

The investigation into the tragic crash of UPS Airlines Flight 2976 on Tuesday evening is focusing on the fiery history of the CF6 turbofan engine equipped on the ill-fated freighter jet. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F that went down just after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) was powered by three of the General Electric jet engines.

NTSB: Left Engine Pylon Broke Away During UPS MD-11 Accident Sequence is published in Aviation Daily, an Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) Market Briefing and is included with your AWIN membership. Get free air transport news, insight and analysis from our award-winning editors delivered to your inbox daily.