LOUISVILLE, KY – A tragic accident unfolded shortly after sunrise on Tuesday when a UPS cargo plane, Flight 2976, crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, resulting in a fiery inferno and a devastating loss of life.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed that at least nine people were killed, including the three crew members aboard the aircraft and six individuals on the ground.
Authorities also reported that eleven people were injured in the crash, some significantly. Furthermore, sixteen families have reported loved ones missing, suggesting that the final casualty count could tragically still rise.
Official identification of the victims, including the crew members, has not yet been released pending notification of next-of-kin.
The three crew members on the MD-11 aircraft were on a flight bound for Honolulu, Hawaii.
The massive plume of smoke was visible for miles, and the impact left a trail of destruction in a dense commercial area, hitting local businesses, including Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation. A specialized 28-member NTSB team is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky today, Wednesday, to commence on-site work.
Early video evidence, according to aviation experts, appears to show what may be a severe fire in the aircraft’s left engine during the takeoff roll. The NTSB will be looking closely for evidence of an “uncontained engine failure” as a potential cause.
A critical priority for the NTSB team will be to locate and recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders—the “black boxes”—from the wreckage.
While the massive blaze is now contained, a shelter-in-place order remains in effect for the immediate area around the airport. Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill confirmed the plane was carrying a large amount of fuel for its trans-Pacific route but was not carrying hazardous cargo that would pose an environmental threat.
UPS, whose “Worldport” global air hub is based at the Louisville airport, confirmed that it is fully engaged in the investigation and had to halt overnight operations, canceling the “Next Day Air” package sort.
