In a dramatic development in the ongoing investigation of UPS Flight 2976, authorities have confirmed that both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder (black boxes) have been successfully recovered from the crash site. What investigators heard in the pilot’s final three words has reportedly shocked the entire team and forced a complete shift in the direction of the investigation.

According to sources close to the investigation, the cockpit voice recorder revealed that, moments before the crash, the pilot calmly but urgently uttered the words:

“Check the left engine.”

“Those three words changed everything,” said a senior investigator who requested anonymity. “Until that moment, we were focusing on the cargo area and external factors. But this directive immediately pointed us toward a potential mechanical or technical issue with the engine — something that had not been our primary focus before.”

The flight data recorder (FDR) corroborated the pilot’s concern, showing unusual readings in the left engine’s performance metrics, including fluctuating pressure and temperature spikes in the seconds leading up to the catastrophic failure. Investigators are now examining whether a mechanical fault, sensor malfunction, or human error contributed to the chain of events.

“The fact that the pilot specifically mentioned the left engine suggests he detected a serious problem,” explained an aviation expert familiar with the investigation. “It also raises questions about why corrective measures were insufficient and why the crash occurred so quickly afterward.”

Authorities are emphasizing that while the black boxes provide critical insight, the investigation is far from complete. Teams are combing through debris, reviewing maintenance records, and re-examining flight procedures to determine whether additional factors, such as environmental conditions or procedural errors, played a role.