FedEx MD-11F Flies First Test Flight in Memphis Since Grounding

‍MEMPHIS — A FedEx Express (FX) McDonnell Douglas MD-11F has returned to the air for the first reported flight involving the type since the FAA grounding that followed last year’s fatal UPS Airlines (5X) crash in Louisville.

The aircraft, registered N621FE, operated as FX9045 from Memphis International Airport (MEM) on May 9. According to flight-tracking data cited by Air Data News, the aircraft remained airborne for roughly one hour and 15 minutes before returning to MEM.

The flight does not yet represent a full return to commercial MD-11F service. Instead, it appears to be part of FedEx’s final return-to-service preparations following months of inspections, repairs, and certification work involving FedEx, Boeing, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Step toward MD-11F reactivation

FedEx has been preparing to resume MD-11F operations after the type was grounded following the November 2025 crash of UPS Flight 2976 at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF). The UPS MD-11F crashed shortly after takeoff when the left engine and pylon separated from the wing.

The FAA’s emergency airworthiness directive prohibited further flight of affected MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft until inspections and any required corrective actions were completed using FAA-approved methods. The agency later expanded the directive to include MD-10 and DC-10 variants because of similarities in engine-pylon structure.

Investigators have focused on fatigue cracking in components associated with the engine attachment structure. Reuters previously reported that the NTSB found fatigue cracks in the left pylon aft mount lug of the UPS aircraft, while the final cause remains under investigation.

Why FedEx still needs the MD-11

The MD-11F remains an aging yet high-capacity freighter, valued for its payload and long-haul cargo missions despite higher fuel burn and lower efficiency than newer twin-engine freighters. Air Data News reported that FedEx plans to restore about 24 MD-11 freighters to active service, with remaining aircraft kept as reserve capacity for peak periods.

The initial revenue return, once cleared, is expected to begin with cargo flights between Memphis (MEM) and Miami (MIA), according to Air Data News.

What it means

For FedEx, N621FE’s test flight is an important operational signal: the carrier is moving from inspection and engineering work toward the actual reactivation of the aircraft. For the broader cargo sector, the flight also shows that the MD-11F’s U.S. story is not over, even as UPS has chosen to exit the type.

Still, the key distinction is safety and certification. This was a test flight, not a confirmed return to regular cargo service. The next milestone will be FAA clearance for revenue operations, followed by the first scheduled MD-11F cargo flights back into the FedEx network.