At Least 3 Dead, 11 Injured After Catastrophic, Deadly UPS Cargo Jet Crash

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

A deadly, fiery crash involving a United Parcel Service (UPS) cargo plane filled with jet fuel sent emergency crews scrambling and forced a shelter-in-place order for thousands near Louisville’s international airport.

UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 headed for Honolulu, crashed just after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali Airport around 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The plane went down near the intersection of Fern Valley Road and Grade Lane, just south of the airport and close to the Ford Louisville Assembly Plant, according to CBS affiliate WLKY in Louisville.

Louisville is home to UPS Worldport, the heart of the company's transportation network and its global air hub.

The pilot and two others onboard the flight are believed to be dead. About 11 injuries have been reported, with two other people missing.

The shelter-in-place order covers those within a 5-mile radius of the airport.

Multiple calls flooded in to first responders reporting an explosion and a massive fire. Video from the scene showed a thick column of black smoke and flames stretching high into the sky. Louisville Metro Police and fire crews arrived quickly as a large fire spread nearly a mile from the crash site.

Officials confirmed that injuries have been reported, but details about the number or severity were not immediately available. MetroSafe urged residents within a five-mile radius of the airport, and north to the Ohio River, to shelter in place as crews battled the blaze.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the investigation into what caused the crash. 

The airfield at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport remains closed after the incident.

Because the flight was headed to Hawaii, the aircraft was likely fully fueled for the long trip, which contributed to the intensity of the explosion and flames. 

Authorities have not yet released information about the crew on board or further details about the injuries. Officials said, “Injuries have been reported,” as the situation continued to unfold Tuesday evening.

The crash stunned the Louisville community and disrupted operations at one of the nation's busiest cargo hubs. 

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.