A catastrophic cargo plane crash in Kentucky has claimed the lives of 12 individuals, with investigators attributing the disaster to an engine fire and detachment during takeoff. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, operated by UPS and en route to Hawaii, crashed shortly after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening. The aircraft exploded into flames upon impact, devastating nearby businesses and leaving a fiery debris field nearly half a mile long. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg expressed profound sorrow over the rising death toll, while Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the incident as ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘unimaginable.’
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a comprehensive investigation, with preliminary findings from airport footage revealing the left engine detaching during the takeoff roll. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, commonly known as black boxes, have been identified and will be sent to Washington for detailed analysis. The crash, reportedly the deadliest in UPS’s history, has prompted the company to suspend package sorting operations at its Louisville facility, which serves as its primary hub.
The aircraft, carrying approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel, narrowly avoided a major Ford assembly plant, averting an even greater catastrophe. Aerial footage of the crash site depicted a trail of debris and firefighters battling intense flames. The NTSB confirmed the plane was built in 1991 and later converted into a cargo aircraft. Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1996, has offered technical assistance to the NTSB. The incident has reignited concerns about the US air traffic control system, already strained by staffing shortages and aging equipment, following a series of fatal aviation accidents in recent years.