UPS Plane Crash Kills at Least 3, Injures 11 After Massive Explosion at Airport

A UPS cargo jet erupted into flames and crashed moments after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people and injuring 11 others in a catastrophic inferno seen for miles.

Authorities said the Hawaii-bound plane exploded roughly 13 minutes after leaving the gate, igniting a trail of fire and destruction across airport grounds.

Shocking video captured the doomed aircraft — UPS Flight 2976 — lifting off the runway with one wing visibly burning before it slammed back to the ground and exploded in a violent fireball.

“It was like watching a comet fall out of the sky,” said airport worker Denise Powell, who witnessed the crash from a nearby service road. “The heat hit us even from a distance. We just started running.”

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane had been carrying nearly 50,000 gallons of jet fuel en route to Honolulu, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The crash occurred around 5:15 p.m. local time, shaking buildings miles away and setting off a chain of secondary explosions that lit up the evening sky.

Louisville Metro Police issued an urgent shelter-in-place order for everyone within a five-mile radius of the airport as thick, toxic smoke poured over neighborhoods. The order was later expanded northward to the Ohio River.

“The fire was still burning hours later,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg in a statement. “There are multiple injuries, and we’re asking residents to stay clear of the area. This is an incredible tragedy that our community will never forget.”

UPS confirmed the aircraft was one of its fleet and said three crew members were on board at the time of the crash. Their identities have not been released pending notification of next of kin.

“We are deeply saddened by this event,” UPS spokesperson Karen McClure said late Tuesday. “Our focus right now is on the safety of our employees, their families, and the surrounding community.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at least three people were confirmed dead and 11 were hospitalized with injuries ranging from burns to blunt trauma. “That number may rise,” Beshear warned during a late-evening press briefing. “The scale of the fire and explosion was unlike anything we’ve seen here in years.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are jointly investigating the cause of the crash. Officials have not yet determined whether mechanical failure, pilot distress, or fuel ignition played a role.

The MD-11, originally designed for long-haul cargo, can carry up to 187,000 pounds of freight and has a controversial history among pilots. The model has been involved in several high-profile crashes since the 1990s due to stability issues during takeoff and landing.

Local resident Tom Hernandez described watching the sky “turn orange” from his backyard. “You could feel the vibration in your chest,” he said. “We didn’t know what it was — we thought maybe a bomb went off.”

By nightfall, more than a dozen fire engines and hazmat units remained on the scene, battling flames and cooling the debris. The airport was fully closed and all outbound flights were suspended until further notice.

“This will take days to process,” said Fire Chief Dana Ross. “We’re still working to contain residual fires and identify all victims.”

As emergency crews continued sifting through the charred wreckage, city officials urged the public to pray for those affected.

“This was not just a crash,” said Mayor Greenberg. “It was a catastrophe that touched every part of Louisville’s heart.”