At Least 12 Killed After UPS Cargo Plane Crashes & Explodes Near Louisville Airport

Federal investigators say a UPS cargo plane’s left engine detached and caught fire moments before the aircraft crashed and exploded near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on the evening of November 4. At least 12 people were killed, including one child.

The crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. as the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 departed from UPS Worldport, the company’s global air hub in Louisville. The plane, which was bound for Honolulu, had been cleared for takeoff when a fire erupted on its left wing. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), airport security footage shows the engine separating from the aircraft during takeoff.

The plane managed to gain enough altitude to clear the airport fence before crashing just beyond the runway perimeter, igniting a massive fire that spread to nearby businesses and leaving a trail of debris that extended about half a mile. Officials acknowledged that the likelihood of finding any survivors was slim, and the death toll is predicted to rise as several others remain unaccounted for. “We do not expect to find anyone else alive,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

The Crash & Its Aftermath

It is unknown what caused the fire on the aircraft’s wing, and the NTSB investigation will likely take more than a year. What is known is that the crash triggered a chain reaction of explosions that spread through neighboring industrial facilities, including Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts. The child victim was reportedly at the auto parts business with a parent when the plane hit.

Authorities noted that the outcome could have been even worse. Gov. Beshear called it “a blessing” that the aircraft did not strike a nearby Ford Motor plant or the Kentucky Exposition Center, both located just beyond the crash site.

Local residents described scenes of chaos and shock as they witnessed the plane crashing and felt the impact as it rattled nearby businesses. Lynn Cason, the manager of Stooges Bar and Grill, who was inside the bar when the secondary explosions hit, said the building shook three times “like somebody was bombing us.”

Investigation Underway

NTSB officials recovered both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the wreckage. The separated engine was found on the airfield, and debris was scattered over half a mile. Three people—all UPS crew members—were aboard the plane, but their status is not known.

The NTSB will lead the investigation, which is expected to take more than a year. Investigators will focus on what caused the fire and why the engine detached mid-takeoff—a catastrophic failure rarely seen in modern aviation.

Mark Little, chief of the Okolona Fire District, said it could take days to fully recover all debris and remains. As of Wednesday, the University of Louisville Hospital confirmed two people in critical condition in the burn unit, and 18 others were treated and released from area hospitals.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced the updated death toll Wednesday evening, urging residents to support one another. “Please take a moment to hug your loved ones and check on your neighbors,” he wrote.

A Troubling Parallel

Experts have already noted troubling similarities between this crash and a 1979 disaster at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, when an American Airlines DC-10 lost its left engine during takeoff. That crash resulted in the death of 273 people.

Former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the UPS aircraft and the 1979 American Airlines plane were both equipped with the same type of General Electric engines and each underwent major maintenance shortly before their respective crashes. Flight records show the UPS plane received maintenance in San Antonio between September 3 and October 18, though officials have not confirmed what work was performed.

UPS released a statement saying it was “terribly saddened” by the incident. UPS Worldport is the company’s largest air facility, employing more than 20,000 people and handling over 300 flights daily. The hub sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour and plays a critical role in UPS’s global logistics network.

The Louisville airport reopened Wednesday with at least one runway operational.

At Arnold & Itkin, our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this tragic event.