A large UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening, erupting into flames and sending a towering plume of black smoke into the sky. Officials say the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 built in 1991, had just departed from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport en route to Honolulu.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash occurred at about 5:15 p.m. local time. The plane, identified as UPS Flight 2976, was carrying three crew members. “At approximately 5:20 PM ET tonight, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crewmembers onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville,” the company said in a statement. “At this time, we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties.”
Louisville Metro Police confirmed that injuries have been reported, though no details about their severity have been released. “Louisville Metro Police Department and other agencies are responding to the crash,” the department said in an X post. Officers urged people to stay away from the area, saying there was “a fire and debris” near the crash site.
Photos and videos posted online showed an enormous trail of flames and thick smoke rising from the ground near the airport, as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze. Footage from CBS News showed a massive column of smoke visible for miles.
Louisville Metro Emergency Services issued—and later extended—a shelter-in-place order for everyone within five miles of the airport, including areas north of the runway up to the Ohio River.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, with the NTSB taking the lead. “The NTSB will lead the investigation,” the FAA said Tuesday. UPS added that it will release additional information as it becomes available, emphasizing that the NTSB “will be the primary source of information about the official investigation.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear acknowledged the crash in a post on X, writing, “First responders are onsite, and we will share more information as available. Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected. We will share more soon.”
As night fell over Louisville, emergency lights still flashed against the smoke-filled sky and investigators are now piecing together what went wrong in those final, fateful moments. (Watch video of the aftermath below.)
