The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into Monday evening’s crash of UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter that went down shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The aircraft, bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, crashed around 5:15 p.m., killing all three crew members on board, according to NTSB Member Todd Inman during a press briefing.

Inman, a Kentucky native, expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the local community, calling it “a tough day for Louisville” during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.

Initial findings indicate that the aircraft’s left engine detached from the wing during the takeoff roll, leading to a post-impact fire that spread nearly half a mile from the runway.

“We have vi

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