The tragic aftermath of the crash of UPS Flight 2976 has resulted in yet another loss, as Alain Rodriguez Colina died on Christmas Day. Colina had been in a medically induced coma since the incident on November 4, 2025, which devastated his workplace, a scrapyard near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. His passing marks the 15th fatality linked to this catastrophic event.
Colina, a Cuban immigrant and metal buyer at Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling, was attending to a customer at the time of the crash. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, lost its number one engine shortly after takeoff, leading to a fatal descent that destroyed the scrapyard and affected the surrounding area. In addition to Colina, the crash claimed the lives of all three pilots aboard and 12 individuals on the ground, while injuring another 22 people.
Details of the Crash
UPS Flight 2976 was en route from Louisville to Honolulu when it experienced a catastrophic engine failure shortly after its departure. The aircraft took off from Runway 17R at approximately 17:13 local time. Just after reaching V1, the number one engine detached, igniting a fire on the left wing. This incident triggered a series of uncontrolled maneuvers, causing the aircraft to bank sharply to the left before crashing into the scrapyard and a nearby semi-truck parking lot.
Colina managed to escape the initial wreckage but sustained severe burns covering over 50% of his body. He was immediately transported to a hospital, where doctors placed him in a medically induced coma due to the severity of his injuries. Initially, he showed signs of gradual recovery, but his condition worsened, leading to his death on December 25.
Investigation and Comparisons to Past Disasters
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash of UPS Flight 2976. Preliminary reports draw chilling parallels to the infamous crash of American Airlines Flight 191 in 1979, where a DC-10 lost its engine and subsequently crashed, resulting in 273 fatalities, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in U.S. history.
In both cases, engine detachment led to a critical aerodynamic imbalance, resulting in uncontrollable flight conditions. The investigation into UPS Flight 2976 aims to uncover whether maintenance failures similar to those identified in the AA191 incident contributed to this tragic crash. As the investigation progresses, aviation experts and the public await the final report to clarify the sequence of events that led to this disaster and to potentially prevent future occurrences.
The impact of this crash on the community and the families affected is profound. Alain Rodriguez Colina’s legacy, along with those of the other victims, will be remembered as the NTSB continues its critical work to understand and address the factors that led to this tragedy.