Air TransportUPS Cargo MD-11 Crashes Shortly After Departure from Louisville
A UPS Airlines cargo jet crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky on Tuesday evening, November 4, killing at least seven people and injuring at least eleven others.
Flight 2976, operated by UPS and bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, went down around 5:15 p.m. local time. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, tail number N259UP, had been in service for more than three decades—first delivered to Thai Airways in 1991 and later converted to a freighter for UPS in 2006.
The plane was carrying roughly 38,000 gallons of fuel when it reportedly skidded off the runway and slammed into nearby buildings south of the airport, igniting a massive fireball visible for miles. The explosion destroyed at least two businesses, including a petroleum recycling facility, and forced authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order within a five-mile radius.
Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the fatalities late Tuesday, noting that the three UPS crew members were likely among the dead. “Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is,” he said, adding that more victims could be found as crews continue to search the wreckage.
https://twitter.com/pcavlin/status/1985845250842132668
Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill said the fire was nearly contained by late evening but described the operation as “one of the largest, most complex incidents we’ve faced in years.” Hundreds of firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to contain the blaze and systematically search for survivors.
All departing flights were cancelled Tuesday night as responders worked to secure the area. Officials warned residents to stay clear of the crash site due to ongoing risks from flammable materials and possible secondary explosions.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that investigations are underway. The NTSB is leading the inquiry, with a team expected to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.
The accident comes as UPS and rival FedEx continue to phase out aging MD-11s—three-engine workhorses that have served global cargo routes since the early 1990s. Boeing, which inherited the aircraft line through McDonnell Douglas, said in a statement it is “ready to support our customer” and that its “concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected.”
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Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
