Fatigue cracks found in US cargo plane that crashed on takeoff killing 14

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report revealing critical structural failures in the cargo plane that crashed on takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this month, killing 14 people. Investigators found definitive evidence of fatigue cracks and overstress failure within the mechanical structures responsible for attaching the left engine to the aircraft's wing. This discovery provides crucial insight into the catastrophic event.

Newly released airport surveillance camera footage from the NTSB vividly captures the moments of the disaster. The left engine and its pylon separated from the wing precisely as the aircraft initiated its lift-off from the runway. The engine subsequently detached, ignited, and propelled through the air, with the wing also catching fire.

The cargo plane struggled severely to gain altitude, never ascending beyond 30 feet above ground level before its fatal impact. This preliminary report from the US NTSB underscores severe structural integrity issues as a direct contributor to the tragic incident, prompting ongoing scrutiny into maintenance protocols and potential broader implications for the commercial cargo fleet.