The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has expanded its emergency airworthiness directive regarding MD-11 engine pylons, and has included McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft as well, finding them to be “subject to the same unsafe condition.”
According to ch-aviation fleet data, seven DC-10s are currently active in the United States, operated by 10 Tanker Air Carrier (four), Omega Air (two), and Orbis (one).
Eleven more (ten of the similar MD-10-30(F)s and one DC-10-30(T)) are stored, with all ten MD-10-30Fs operated and owned by FedEx Express, and the DC-10-30(T) operated by Omega Air.
The emergency directive was prompted by the crash of an MD-11F operated by UPS Airlines during takeoff from Louisville International on November 4, 2025.
According to ch-aviation data, the three operators of the MD-11F are FedEx Express (58 units), UPS Airlines (26), and Western Global Airlines (14).
