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FAA approves Boeing protocol for returning MD-11 planes to service in US after fatal crash

By Reuters Reuters
The Boeing logo on the doors to the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, U.S., April 15, 2026. REUTERS/Genna Martin
The Boeing logo on the doors to the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, U.S., April 15, 2026. REUTERS/Genna Martin Genna Martin Reuters

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday that it had approved Boeing's protocol for safely returning MD-11 airplanes to service in the U.S. after barring flights in December following a fatal crash in November of a UPS cargo plane in Kentucky that killed 15 people.

UPS opted to retire its MD-11 fleet after the fatal crash but FedEx said it plans to resume the use of its fleet of 28 MD-11 planes later this month after they are in compliance with the Boeing maintenance requirements.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 2:32 PM.

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