Horrific new photos show engine ripping off UPS plane moments before cargo jet exploded and killed 14 - but key mystery remains

A catastrophic incident involving a UPS cargo jet resulted in 14 fatalities after its engine reportedly ripped off moments before a fiery explosion in Kentucky. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US has released a preliminary report detailing the devastating November 4 event, which claimed the lives of three crew members and 11 individuals on the ground. The report includes harrowing images depicting the aircraft during its takeoff sequence as a massive fire erupted and a large engine visibly detached from the airframe.

The NTSB's preliminary findings indicate that as the aircraft initiated its turn on the runway for takeoff, the left engine and its pylon, the structural component connecting the engine to the wing, separated. Subsequently, a fire ignited on the left engine, which then moved above the fuselage before impacting the ground. Despite the intense inferno engulfing the left side of the cargo plane, the aircraft managed to clear the airport's perimeter fence, though it never ascended more than 30 feet above the ground, according to the report.

Crucially, the preliminary investigation has yet to determine the precise reason for the engine's detachment. This critical unanswered question forms the central focus of the ongoing NTSB inquiry. Aviation safety experts anticipate further details as the investigation progresses, aiming to uncover the root cause of this tragic commercial aviation accident and implement measures to prevent future occurrences.