LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, which is the type of aircraft involved in Tuesday’s deadly UPS cargo plane crash, has been around for decades and primarily operated as a cargo plane for companies around the globe.

Spectrum News 1 is looking at the model’s aviation history and how it connects to this terrible accident.

According to Federal Aviation Administration data , the specific aircraft has a certificate issue date of June 29, 2006, that expires in August 2027.

The aircraft was first delivered to Thai Airways International for passenger service in 1991, the flightradar24 website said. The plane was converted to freighter configuration in 2006 and began service with UPS that same year.

UPS flight 2976 was a 34-year-old plane, manufactured in 1991. The aircraft was

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