Investigators found that 10 previous mechanical failures similar to the flaw that caused a UPS cargo plane to crash in Kentucky, killing 15 people, were never properly reported to federal aviation authorities, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. WUKY reported the NTSB's findings about the defective engine attachment components.

The crash involved the detachment of an engine from the wing of a large cargo aircraft, a catastrophic failure that highlighted safety gaps in how maintenance problems are escalated. The engine pylon and related fastening systems that failed are critical components designed to secure engines to aircraft wings, yet documentation shows that comparable defects were recorded in other similar aircraft without triggering mandatory reports to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The NTSB investigation revealed that maintenance records and service bulletins documented the flaws across the fleet, but no mechanism was activated to alert the FAA or initiate industry-wide corrective action, according to officials familiar with the inquiry. The findings underscore potential gaps in the aviation safety reporting system, where individual operators may identify mechanical issues without comprehensive notification to federal regulators or other airlines operating the same aircraft type.

The incident has prompted increased scrutiny of engine attachment protocols and maintenance reporting standards within the cargo aviation industry. Investigators are examining why previous similar failures in the same critical component went unaddressed despite being documented.

The NTSB typically issues safety recommendations following major aviation accidents. The specific aircraft involved and the timeline of the documented failures are part of the ongoing formal investigation into the crash.