A plane crash involving a UPS cargo jet bound for Hawaii has left at least 12 people dead after the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening. The accident triggered a massive fire that engulfed nearby industrial buildings, with officials warning that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue to search the wreckage.
The MD-11 freighter, identified as UPS Flight 2976, took off from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport around 5:20 p.m. Witnesses said the aircraft struggled to gain altitude, reaching only about 50 meters before plunging less than two kilometers from the runway. Moments later, a bright flash lit up the sky, followed by explosions as the cargo jet slammed into an industrial area and burst into flames.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the fatalities in a late-night briefing, calling it “one of the darkest nights” for the city. He said several people remain missing and that rescue teams are still battling intense fires at the site of the plane crash.
The aircraft crashed near Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts, south of the airport. The impact triggered smaller explosions at the petroleum site, complicating rescue and firefighting operations. Hazardous materials teams were deployed to contain chemical leaks as firefighters worked through the night.
Airport operations were briefly suspended but resumed on one runway early Wednesday morning. A nearby Ford Motor plant experienced temporary power outages, though it was not directly affected by the crash.
Preliminary data from flight-tracking site Flightradar24 showed the plane reached a speed of about 184 knots before suddenly losing altitude. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), early evidence suggests the aircraft’s left engine detached during takeoff, possibly causing the fire that led to the disaster.
Todd Inman, an NTSB official, confirmed that the detached engine had been recovered and would be examined. The plane’s black boxes have also been retrieved for analysis in Washington, DC.
Aviation expert Jeff Guzzetti said it is too soon to determine the exact cause of the plane crash, noting that structural issues or a fuel leak could have contributed. “The MD-11 is a reliable model, but ageing components sometimes lead to unexpected failures,” he said.
Local residents described the explosion as “like an earthquake.” Emergency shelters have been opened for those displaced by the fires. UPS stated that three crew members were on board, though their conditions have not yet been confirmed.
The community remains in mourning as investigators work to uncover the cause of one of Kentucky’s most tragic aviation incidents in recent years.
In other news read more about: Plane Crash: Causes, News Updates, and Safety Insights
