By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Another person died on Christmas Day due to the crash of a United Parcel Service (UPS) while taking off from Louisville last month on a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii, raising the death toll to 15.
All three pilots on board the UPS MD-11 cargo plane died at the scene, along with 12 more on the ground. Nearly two dozen more people were injured.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg announced the latest death on “X,” Thursday evening:
“It is with great sadness that I just learned Alain Rodriguez Colina has passed. Alain is the 15th victim of the UPS Flight 2976 accident. He suffered severe injuries at the time of the crash and passed earlier this Christmas Day. May Alain’s memory be a blessing.”
Colina worked at a Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling that was devastated when the departing cargo plane, loaded with fuel for the long flight, plowed into businesses just outside Louisville’s airport on Nov. 4.
Gov. Andy Beshear also expressed his condolences on a Facebook post Thursday.
“I’m sad to share some tough news on Christmas Day, Kentucky. Today, we lost Alain Rodriguez Colina due to his injuries from the November UPS plane crash, bringing our total loss to 15. Let’s pray for these families today and in the days, months and years to come so they know they are not alone and they are loved.”
Flight 2976 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight operated by UPS Airlines from its hub at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL), an 8.5-hour flight.
During takeoff, shortly after lifting off, the left engine, with the bulk of its pylon still attached, separated from the wing and flipped backwards over the wing’s leading edge. As it detached, a fire ignited on the engine and it tumbled up and over the aircraft, coming to rest on the grass on the right side of runway 17R. A fire also broke out near the left pylon attachment point and continued to burn until impact. Multiple buildings were set on fire or destroyed, due to the crash.
Two wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of the victims were filed at Jefferson Circuit Court following the crash. They allege negligence against UPS, UPS AIR, and name GE, the engine manufacturer; Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas, the original manufacturer of the MD-11; and VT San Antonio Aerospace, Inc., the company responsible for certain inspections and maintenance before the crash.