Widow of pilot who died in UPS plane crash files lawsuit Lillian Metzmeier and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORKFri, February 27, 2026 at 1:25 PM UTC 9 Widow of pilot who died in UPS plane crash files lawsuit The wife of a pilot who died when a United Parcel Service airplane erupted into a deadly ball of fire and crashed in Louisville in November has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three companies she claims contributed to leaving her widowed. The crash on Nov.
Widow of pilot who died in UPS plane crash files lawsuit
Lillian Metzmeier and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORKFri, February 27, 2026 at 1:25 PM UTC
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Widow of pilot who died in UPS plane crash files lawsuit
The wife of a pilot who died when a United Parcel Service airplane erupted into a deadly ball of fire and crashed in Louisville in November has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three companies she claims contributed to leaving her widowed.
The crash on Nov. 4, 2025, killed 15 people, including all three crew members on board the cargo plane and 12 people on the ground ranging in ages from 3 to 62. It was the deadliest crash in UPS Airlines history.
Donna Diamond, the wife of 62-year-old UPS pilot Dana Diamond, filed the suit in Jefferson County Circuit Court on Feb. 25 against Boeing Co., General Electric Co. and VT San Antonio Aerospace, reported the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The lawsuit states the companies contributed to mechanical failures that led the UPS MD-11 plane to crash just seconds after takeoff.
Dana Diamond lived in Caldwell, Texas, with his wife and worked for UPS for 37 years. He was serving as the international relief officer aboard UPS Flight 2976, a scheduled cargo flight to Honolulu, when the plane went down.
"Tragically, Donna would never see her husband alive after that day," the complaint reads. "Even more tragic, Defendants could have prevented Dana's suffering and death with simple honesty and a little bit of care. But they didn't."
Seconds after takeoff, the left engine and its pylon separated from the wing, causing the plane to catch fire prior to crashing, authorities have said. A preliminary report released by federal investigators in late November found that hardware meant to hold an engine in place showed signs of fatigue and "overstress failure." The plane crashed into an industrial area.
According to the complaint, the aircraft had undergone maintenance by VT San Antonio Aerospace just weeks before the crash and GE was behind designing and manufacturing the plane's engines. Boeing is the successor of the company McDonnell Douglas, which designed and manufactured the UPS MD-11F aircraft.
Donna Diamond is suing all three defendants on the basis of wrongful death, negligence, loss of consortium and related damages. She is also suing GE and Boeing over strict product liability, a legal doctrine that holds manufacturers responsible for injuries caused by defective products. According to court records, Donna Diamond also requests a trial by jury and for punitive damages to be awarded. Court summons were issued to the three defendants on Feb. 25.
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"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this accident," Boeing said in a statement on Feb. 26.
A statement from GE Aerospace the company was "deeply saddened" by the loss of UPS Flight 2976 and extends "heartfelt sympathies" to the families and loved ones impacted.
"Safety is our first priority, and we are supporting the NTSB's investigation," the statement from GE Aerospace said.
Messages left with VT San Antonio Aerospace were not immediately returned.
While the Feb. 25 complaint is the first lawsuit filed on behalf of the flight crew member's surviving family, the complaint is not the first to be filed against Boeing or GE in relation to the crash.
In December 2025, families of two of the on-the-ground victims who died while at Grade A Auto Parts and Recycling filed wrongful death lawsuits. Another lawsuit — also against General Electric, VT San Antonio Aerospace and Boeing, as well as UPS — was filed Jan. 23.
Reporter Olivia Evans contributed.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Widow of pilot who died in UPS plane crash files lawsuit
Source: "AOL Breaking"
Source: Breaking
Published: February 27, 2026 at 08:54PM on Source: RED MAG
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