Internationally recognized Clifford Law Offices of Chicago, along with Sam Aguiar of Louisville, Kentucky, will file the first wrongful death lawsuits on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, against multiple parties in the November 4 crash of a UPS cargo jet shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.
The plaintiffs’ firms will file two lawsuits on Wednesday morning in Kentucky State Court on behalf of families who lost loved ones when the MD-11 crashed shortly after takeoff into a nearby industrial park.
Among the plaintiffs are the families of Angela Anderson, a 45-year-old mother who was a customer at a local business when the MD-11 cargo jet lost its left engine and crashed into the industrial park, causing a massive explosion, and Trinadette ‘Trina’ Chavez, a 37-year-old mother of two employed at Grade A Auto Parts, one of the businesses destroyed in the crash.
Fourteen people were killed, and at least 23 others were injured. The MD-11 aircraft was en route to Honolulu, Hawaii, carrying approximately 38,000 gallons of jet fuel.
The lawsuits allege negligence against UPS, UPS AIR, and also 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.
Bradley M. Cosgrove, a partner at Clifford Law Offices, highlighted the extensive impact of the fatal MD-11 crash: “When an engine detaches from a large cargo jet during takeoff, and the aircraft bursts into a fireball visible for miles, an entire community is affected. Innocent lives are lost, leaving deep holes in families. Impacted survivors are left with injuries and lifelong scars, with their normal lives shattered by an explosion that many people compared to a bomb going off next door. This tragedy is an unacceptable event that indicates a catastrophic failure across numerous safety systems. Clifford Law Offices is committed to securing justice and providing answers for the affected families.”
The law firms will hold a live press conference at 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 3, at the offices of Sam Aguiar, 1900 Plantside Dr., Louisville, KY. Cosgrove and Aguiar will be present with clients to discuss the implications of the lawsuits.
“Through these lawsuits, we aim to get the answers that these family members deserve for their heartbreaking losses,” Aguiar said.
The UPS MD-11 fleet is reportedly grounded for months, not weeks, according to an internal statement issued Wednesday, November 26, by UPS Airlines President Bill Moore. The crash prompted a fleet-wide inspection after investigators found fatigue cracks in a structural component of the left wing of the downed aircraft. This inspection may also affect the FedEx MD-11 fleet.
Early expert analysis suggests the MD-11’s catastrophic engine-pylon separation may reflect broader industry practices that extend component lifespans and stretch inspection intervals, decisions which veteran aviation attorney Robert A. Clifford says can put “profits before safety.” Clifford, who serves as lead counsel in the Boeing 737 MAX8 crash litigation, noted, “When I heard news that an engine had detached from a cargo jet, I immediately thought of the 1979 crash at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport of an American Airlines jet, where a left engine detached shortly after takeoff, killing all 271 on board and two on the ground. I worked on those very sad cases for years, and we got answers for families who deserved justice.”
A team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on Nov. 20, indicating early findings of fatigue fractures in bolts and locking devices on the 34-year-old aircraft, raising serious technical questions for investigators.
“The report reveals an extreme similarity between the crash in Louisville and the May 1979 DC-10 crash of American Airlines Flight 191 in Chicago, killing 271 aboard,” noted Clifford, who worked on behalf of those victims’ families 46 years ago. “What is new about this case is the age of the aircraft suggests that this plane was old, tired, and well beyond its useful life…certainly triggering questions about profit over safety.”
NTSB investigators examined debris scattered across a one-mile area. The plane’s black boxes were recovered and are included in the investigation. Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB, stated that after being cleared for takeoff, a large fire developed in the left wing; however, the probable cause of the crash will likely remain undetermined for up to a year.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all MD-11 aircraft on Saturday, November 8, pending investigation. “The FAA is issuing this AD [Airworthiness Directive] because the agency has determined the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design,” according to a directive from Acting Deputy Executive Director of Aircraft Certification Service, Mallory A. Naill.
There are approximately 82 MD-11s in operation worldwide, with 70 based in the United States.
The three pilots on board UPS Flight 2976 were killed along with many others near the airport when the MD-11 cargo jet crashed around 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, causing a massive fire and giant plumes of smoke spanning nearly a mile around Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
“The aviation industry needs to learn not to repeat its mistakes,” Clifford said. “Families who lost loved ones in this crash deserve the truth and full accountability. Clifford Law Offices has launched a comprehensive investigation to ensure those responsible face the consequences of their preventable failures.”
Central questions remain about whether key components were kept in service too long and why the systems intended to prevent such disasters failed to function as required.
For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell) or pammenaker@cliffordlaw.com.