The widow of a pilot killed in the crash of a UPS MD-11 in Louisville, Kentucky, last year is suing Boeing and General Electric.
Attorneys representing the spouse of Dana Justin Diamond announced the lawsuit Thursday, after it was filed in circuit court in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Diamond, of Caldwell, Texas, was serving as an international relief officer on the accident flight.
The lawsuit names Boeing, General Electric, and maintenance provider VT San Antonio Aerospace as defendants, and asserts claims of wrongful death, negligence, and other damages.
Attorneys for the plaintiff are requesting a trial by jury.
UPS Airlines Flight 2976 departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (KSDF) on November 4, 2025, bound for Honolulu. Seconds after takeoff, the aircraft’s left engine separated, and the MD-11 lost altitude and crashed into an industrial area.
Three crewmembers and 12 people on the ground were killed.
The FAA banned the MD-11 from flying until the entire fleet is inspected and repairs are completed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the crash.
“When an engine separates from a wing seconds after takeoff, that’s not an accident,” lead attorney Mark Lanier said in a statement. “That’s a failure by the companies responsible for building and maintaining that aircraft.”
The MD-11 was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, and later by Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997. The airplane at the center of the crash was converted to cargo operations and flown by UPS since 2006.
According to the complaint, the aircraft was equipped with CF6 engines designed and manufactured by GE Aerospace and had undergone maintenance work performed by VT San Antonio Aerospace in the weeks before the crash.
Attorneys for the plaintiff said Diamond was employed by UPS for more than 37 years and had achieved the No. 1 seniority position on the MD-11 and No. 5 overall seniority among all of the company’s pilots. He played a significant role in union leadership and served as vice chairman of the Independent Pilot Association’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Committee from 2012 to 2017.
“Dana was passionate about pilot safety and devoted to his family, friends, and community,” said Sam Taylor, a senior litigation counsel with the Lanier Law Firm. “This tragedy was an absolute betrayal of everything Dana stood for and the professional and personal contributions he made in his life. Through this litigation and Dana’s sacrifice, we will learn more about the causes of this crash and steps to prevent a reoccurrence.”
UPS said in January that it retired its entire MD-11 fleet.