Kentucky UPS cargo plane crash death toll rises to 12, 15 injuries
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Federal investigators stated that the UPS plane explosion in Louisville was triggered by a fire in the left wing, followed by the left engine detaching during takeoff.
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Impact of the UPS MD-11 cargo plane crash after it took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on November 6, 2025. (Social media)
A devastating UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville on Tuesday evening has claimed 12 lives and injured at least 15 others, according to Craig Greenberg, the city’s mayor. Several individuals remain unaccounted for as authorities continue recovery efforts.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft exploded into a fireball shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, leaving behind a massive debris field and a towering plume of smoke. The plane was bound for Honolulu.
Federal investigators stated that the UPS plane explosion in Louisville was triggered by a fire in the left wing, followed by the left engine detaching during takeoff. The explosion occurred at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
11 PM ET update: The NTSB has confirmed that the left #1 engine on UPS flight 2976 “detached” during the takeoff roll. The death toll has climbed to 12.
— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) November 6, 2025
“We have viewed airport CCTV camera footage, which shows the left engine detaching during the takeoff roll” said the NTSB in a… pic.twitter.com/YOUJObr63b
Todd Inman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the wing fire and engine separation, saying the plane did gain enough altitude to clear the runway fence before crashing off airport property. "Airport security video shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll," Inman told reporters.
The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, commonly known as black boxes, were recovered and appeared intact. "We feel comfortable that once we get these to our lab in DC, that we will be able to get a good readout," Inman added.
NTSB leads airplane crash investigation in Kentucky
A team of 28 NTSB agents arrived in Kentucky on Wednesday to begin the probe. Preliminary findings are expected within 30 days, but the full investigation into the airplane crash in Kentucky could take up to two years. "There are a lot of different parts of this airplane in a lot of different places," Inman said, describing the crash site as a half-mile-long debris field.
The NTSB said there is currently no indication that the crash was linked to the ongoing 36-day US government shutdown. Air traffic control staffing at the time of the incident was reportedly at full capacity.
Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the rising Louisville airport crash victims, stating on social media that one of the deceased may be a child. UofL Health is treating 15 crash-related patients, two of whom are in critical condition due to burn injuries. Others suffered from smoke inhalation, shrapnel wounds, and blast-related trauma.
"First responders have located nine total [dead] victims at the site of the UPS crash," Greenberg said. The city has transitioned from rescue to recovery mode as officials believe no more victims are at the scene.
