FedEx freighter explodes on runway

FedEx freighter explodes on runway       A FedEx Express cargo plane skidded off the runway at Memphis International Airport and burst into flames Thursday. The MD-10 aircraft was arriving from Oakland, Calif.
   Preliminary indications point to a failure of the right landing gear, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident. All seven people aboard the aircraft escaped without serious injury, and all have been released from local hospitals, FedEx spokeswoman Liana Sucar said.
   FedEx is waiting to be notified by the NTSB when it can access the plane to remove cargo. In the meantime, 'We are proactively contacting customers who had packages on that flight,' Sucar said.
   The accident has not disrupted FedEx operations, she added. FedEx has more than 200 large freighters, including 23 MD-10s, in its fleet that can be used to cover the loss of the damaged aircraft.