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What we know as horrifying footage shows Kentucky plane crash during takeoff leaving at least 7 dead
At least seven people have died after a cargo aircraft operated by UPS crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday. The aircraft, identified as UPS Flight 2976, was departing for Honolulu when it veered off the runway around 5:15PM local time and collided with nearby buildings before bursting into flames, AP News reports.
The plane was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, registered N259UP. It was originally delivered in 1991 and converted into a freighter in 2006. At the time of the crash, it was carrying approximately 38,000 gallons of jet fuel, which significantly fueled the blaze and complicated emergency response efforts. All flight operations at the airport were immediately suspended, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for nearby residents, per CBS News.
What was impacted and how the fire spread
Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that the aircraft hit at least two businesses. Kentucky Petroleum Recycling was struck "pretty directly,” he said, and a second business, Grade A Auto Parts, was also impacted. The crash occurred at the edge of the airport runway, near an industrial zone surrounded by residential areas.
Video footage showed the aircraft engulfed in flames before it left the runway. The flames quickly spread to nearby structures. Emergency officials initially advised people within a five-mile radius to stay indoors due to smoke and explosion risks.
That order was later scaled down to a one-mile radius as firefighters began containing the situation. Airport officials confirmed that operations were halted as a safety precaution.
Casualties and investigation status
Authorities have confirmed at least seven fatalities, with eleven others injured. Officials warned that both figures are expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. It remains unclear how many of the deaths were among those on board versus on the ground. Two workers from Grade A Auto Parts were still unaccounted for as of Tuesday evening.
Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neal described the scene as a “very dangerous situation” due to the quantity of spilled fuel and proximity to other flammable materials. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are now on the scene.
Preliminary flight data showed the aircraft only reached about 175 feet in altitude and was traveling at approximately 184 knots before it lost control.
The impact of the crash extends beyond the tragedy itself. Louisville is home to UPS's major global air hub, known as Worldport, which processes hundreds of thousands of packages daily. The crash has led to a temporary shutdown of this key logistics operation, affecting shipping schedules nationwide.