“Flown to Failure”: NTSB Hearing Reveals UPS Knew of MD-11 Defects Since 2020, Continued Flying Dangerous Aircraft

Post-crash inspections uncover three additional UPS planes with same deadly failures; Previously undisclosed documents hidden from federal investigators

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 19, 2026

Today’s NTSB investigative hearing exposed a devastating pattern of corporate negligence that led to the November 4, 2025 UPS Flight 2976 crash that killed 15 people.

“After hearing today’s testimony and reviewing the materials released this morning, it is even more imperative that all parties identified in the lawsuits filed on behalf of our clients need to be held accountable,” said Masten Childers III, Kentucky Managing Partner at Whiteford Law.

“Flown to Failure” – UPS’s and Boeing’s Failures Exposed

“Flown to Failure” emerged as the central theme describing UPS’s and Boeing’s deliberate decision to operate aircraft with known defects until they literally crashed, killing innocent people.

“It has been confirmed that UPS knew about the problems with these planes and made the conscious decision to continue to operate their MD-11s without any regard for the safety of those on the ground,” Childers stated.

Three More Planes with the Same Defect Discovered After Crash

The most shocking revelation came from what UPS found when they finally inspected their own fleet after killing 15 people.

“Post-November 4th inspections of their grounded fleet uncovered the same catastrophic failures with three additional planes,” Childers stated. “This is particularly concerning given that UPS continued to fly these planes for days following November 4th until the FAA grounded them. It is clear that profit controls over safety.”

The discovery means UPS was knowingly operating multiple aircraft that posed the same deadly risk to communities nationwide – aircraft that could have killed or injured more people.

Failure to Produce All Documents to the NTSB

Beyond the known safety failures, the hearing revealed that critical evidence remains hidden from investigators.

“We’ve identified previously undisclosed documents documenting prior undisclosed failures that UPS hasn’t even turned over to the NTSB,” said Justin Peterson, Founding Partner of Peterson Law. “This is precisely why we had to file these comprehensive lawsuits – when corporations hide critical safety information from federal investigators, families have no choice but to seek justice through the courts.”

The lawsuits filed by Peterson Law and Whiteford Law on behalf of more than 100 victims – the vast majority of those affected by the crash – seek both compensation and fundamental changes to prevent future “Flown to Failure” corporate policies.

About Peterson Law and Whiteford Law

Peterson Law and Whiteford Law have been working in partnership for the past three years, representing victims of catastrophic accidents, trucking crashes, aviation-related injuries, auto collisions, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse cases across Kentucky and beyond.

This established partnership brings together more than 200 attorneys across the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Kentucky, creating one of the most formidable personal injury legal teams in the region. The collaboration leverages Whiteford Law’s complex litigation expertise and national reach with Peterson Law’s Kentucky roots and client-centered approach.

Known for Peterson Law’s “Personal Care. Powerful Results.” philosophy and Whiteford Law’s proven track record in high-stakes cases, this partnership ensures clients receive both the personal attention they deserve and the legal firepower needed to take on major corporations.

Media Contact: Chris Pugh – chris@justinpetersonlaw.com (859) 457-7798