UPS Plane Crashes Near Airport, Killing at Least 3 and Injuring at Least 11 People as Giant Fire Breaks Out

A UPS MD-11 cargo plane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, igniting a massive fire and claiming the lives of at least three people. Authorities reported that 11 others were injured, according to The Associated Press.

UPS Flight 2976 was headed for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. Shortly after taking off around 5 p.m. local time, the aircraft went down, the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed on X (formerly Twitter).

Following the impact, a large fire erupted, sending a dense column of black smoke into the air. “This is an active scene with fire and debris. Stay away,” the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) cautioned in a public post.

Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for everyone within a five-mile radius of the airport, urging residents to remain indoors and avoid the area until further notice.

According to a statement on UPS’s official website, there were three crew members aboard at the time of the crash. Their identities have not yet been released. “UPS will release more facts as they become available, but the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation,” the company stated.

The FAA confirmed that the NTSB would lead the investigation into the cause of the accident.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear addressed the incident on X, writing, “The situation is serious. Please pray for the families affected. I’m headed to Louisville now.” He told the Associated Press that the scene remained hazardous due to “different flammables or potentially explosive materials.”

Senator Rand Paul also shared his thoughts on X, saying, “We continue to pray for the safety of the aircrew, everyone in the area, and for the first responders on the scene.”

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F is a freighter aircraft designed to carry cargo, not passengers. Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport serves as UPS’s global air hub, employing around 12,000 workers who process over 2 million packages daily within a 5-million-square-foot facility.

Representatives from the Louisville Metro Police Department and the National Transportation Safety Board were contacted for additional details on Tuesday.