UPS Cargo Plane Crashes in Kentucky, 12 Dead as Engine Detaches Mid-Takeoff

Twelve people are dead after a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. The aircraft was leaving Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening. It was headed to Hawaii. Officials say the left engine caught fire during takeoff. The engine then detached from the wing. The plane lost control almost immediately and went down in an industrial area near the airport. It burst into flames on impact.

The crash destroyed several buildings. A long trail of burning debris stretched for nearly half a mile. Smoke rose high over the city as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed more victims may still be missing. He called the situation tragic and said rescue crews are still searching through the wreckage. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the crash is “heartbreaking.” He also said the disaster could have been even worse. The plane narrowly missed a large Ford assembly plant that employs around 3,000 workers.

Video from the airport showed flames coming from the aircraft’s left side as it tried to lift off. It struggled to gain height and then fell out of view. The National Transportation Safety Board said security footage clearly showed the engine separation. The left engine remained on the runway. The rest of the aircraft continued forward and crashed. Investigators recovered the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. Both will be examined in Washington.

The plane was carrying about 38,000 gallons of fuel for the long trip. The fuel caused a massive fire that took hours to control. UPS shut down operations at its Worldport hub nearby. The hub is the company’s main shipping center and employs thousands. Many workers were sent home.

The aircraft was built in 1991 and later converted for cargo use. Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1996, said it is assisting investigators. The crash occurred during an ongoing government shutdown. This shutdown has raised concerns about air traffic staffing nationwide. However, officials said there were no staffing shortages in Louisville at the time.

This is the deadliest crash in UPS’s history. Investigators say the full cause may take months to determine.