MOBILE, Ala., 14 Aug. 2013. Airbus regrets to confirm that an A300-600F operated by UPS was involved in an accident shortly after 09.50hrs (UTC), at Birmingham, Ala. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight 1354, from Louisville, Ken., to Birmingham, Ala.
Airbus officials issued the following statement:
“The aircraft involved in the accident, registered under the number N155UP (and with ‘manufacturer serial number’ MSN841), was delivered to UPS from the production line in 2003. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 11,000 flight hours in some 6,800 flights. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. At this time no further factual information is available.
In line with the ICAO Annex 13 international convention, Airbus will provide full technical assistance to the French BEA as well as to the authorities who will be responsible for the accident investigation. A team of specialists from Airbus is being dispatched to Alabama.
The A300-600F is a twin-engined widebody freighter aircraft. The first A300-600F entered service in 1983. At the end of June 2013, 104 A300-600Fs were in service.
Airbus will make further factual information available as soon as the details have been confirmed. However, the investigation remains the entire responsibility of the relevant authorities and it would be inappropriate to speculate into the cause of the accident.
The concerns and sympathies of the Airbus employees go out to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident of Flight 1354.”
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