At Least 7 Dead After UPS Cargo Jet Crashes in Kentucky
Officials Warn Death Toll Likely to Rise After Crash, Which Occurred Around 5:15 Local Time at UPS' Global Hub Known as Worldport
Key Takeaways:
- A UPS cargo jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4, killing at least seven people and injuring nearly a dozen others.
- The crash sparked multiple explosions and fires that halted airport operations and damaged nearby businesses as officials warned the casualty toll could rise.
- The NTSB will lead the investigation with FAA and Boeing support, while UPS has yet to confirm crew casualties and authorities continue search and recovery efforts.
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At least seven people are dead, and the toll is expected to rise, after a UPS Inc. freighter jet crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff Nov. 4 from Louisville, Ky.
Video circulating on social media showed the Honolulu-bound McDonnell Douglas MD-11 struggling to get airborne, with one of its engines on fire, before exploding in a fireball beyond the end of the runway. A separate clip posted by local news station WLKY showed a large area of the ground on fire in the aftermath of the crash. Plumes of smoke werevisible for miles.
At least 11 people were also injured, and the number of casualties is likely to increase after the crash, which occurred around 5:15 p.m. local time, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in apost on X.
Gov. Beshear and emergency management officials provide update from Louisville. Watch live: — Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear)
“Anybody who has seen the images and the video know how violent this crash is,” Beshear told reporters at a briefing earlier Nov. 4. He added there was no word yet on the status of the three crew members on the jet.
Several explosions, a lingering fire and potentially flammable debris at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali airport complicated the efforts of emergency crews looking for victims and securing the area, authorities told reporters. Officials halted operations at the airport, home to UPS’ main global hub, known as Worldport.
We will release more facts as they become available at — UPS (@UPS)
The incident adds to a deadly year for global aviation. Just three weeks ago, a cargo plane skidded off the runway andinto the seaat Hong Kong International Airport, killing two ground crew. In June, 241 people died on an Air India flight thatcrashedjust after takeoff, and in January a U.S. Army helicoptercollidedwith an American Airlines Group regional jet on approach to Ronald Reagan Airport near Washington.
The crash of UPS Flight 2976 also comes at a time of widespreadair travel disruptionsacross America caused by air traffic controller shortages since the U.S. government shutdown began Oct. 1.
ʳan MD-11 with three crew was involved in an accident, and it hadn’t confirmed any injuries or casualties. Boeing Co., which took over McDonnell Douglas in 1997, said it stands ready to support its customer and has offered technical assistance to the National Transportation Safety Board. The company said it will “work tirelessly” with state and local authorities on response efforts.
was operated by an MD-11(F) registered N259UP. The 34 year old aircraft was converted to cargo and began operations with UPS in 2006. — Flightradar24 (@flightradar24)
The Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB will investigate, with the latter air accident body leading the probe, the FAA said. The NTSB said its investigative team will arrive Nov. 5.
The cause of the crash was unclear. Typically, such incidents are triggered by one or more operational, mechanical and environmental factors, established by investigators over weeks and months.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24showedthe 34-year-old aircraft reaching takeoff speeds and climbing to around 175 feet (53 meters) before plummeting to the ground.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.… — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews)
The three-engine wide-body jet, a stretched version of the DC-10, was launched in 1986 but was eclipsed by more efficient twin-engine models like Boeing’s 777. UPS operated 27 of the type as of Sept. 30, according to a company filing, and is one of the biggest operators of MD-11s followed by rival FedEx Corp.
Beshear also said information gathered so far suggests at least two businesses were hit, including a petroleum recycling company and an auto parts shop. Those businesses have accounted for all but two of their employees, he said.
However, “they do not know how many other individuals, customers or others could have been on-site at the time,” he said, adding that it may take a while for officials to determine that information.
UPS ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America and No. 5 on the TT Top 100 logistics companies list. It also ranks No. 4 on the TT Top 50 global freight companies list.
Written by Allyson Versprille, Cailley LaPara and Siddharth Philip
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