US aviation authorities have ordered that all models of a cargo plane that crashed mid-takeoff in Kentucky be grounded.
It comes after a Boeing MD-11 aircraft operated by UPS burst into flames on the runway of Louisville International Airport before colliding with neighboring businesses, killing 14 people.
The American delivery firm had earlier said it would not operate the planes pending an ongoing investigation, with FedEx then following suit.
Now the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a formal notice banning all MD-11 and MD11F aircraft from flying until safety checks are carried out.
In total, 70 models are in use with UPS, FedEx, and Western Global Airlines.
FAA officials said the Kentucky crash happened after the plane's left engine caught fire and detached from the wing during takeoff.
The aircraft was carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel as it took off for a flight to Hawaii, which contributed to the size of the fire after the crash.
A total of 14 people were killed in the crash and subsequent fire, including one person who had been admitted to hospital, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has said.
He said the number of dead now matches the number of people who were reported missing, indicating officials do not expect the death toll to climb further.
Boeing welcomed the directive and advised UPS, FedEx, and Western Global Airlines to stop operations of the model out of caution.
However, it remains unclear whether the grounding order will impact delivery services in the US. Both UPS and FedEx stated they have contingency plans to ensure continued service.
The MD-11, first entering service 34 years ago, has not been used for commercial passenger flights since 2014 and is exclusively a cargo carrier now.
The model involved in the crash was an MD-11F triple-engine plane that was transferred to UPS in 2006 after initially serving as a passenger jet.
