A cargo plane belonging to UPS Airlines crashed Tuesday, Nov. 4, shortly after takeoff from Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, causing a massive fire and a dense plume of smoke visible for miles around.
The authorities confirmed the presence of injured people, although they have not detailed the number or the seriousness of the injuries.
UPS plane crashes
Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky is currently closed to flights, following the crash of (UPS2976), a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 being operated as a cargo plane by UPS Airlines that had just taken-off from the UPS Worldport in Louisville. pic.twitter.com/tKgToMUmt9
– Brandon Schmitz (@B_Schmitz_WI) November 4, 2025
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the incident occurred around 5:15 p.m., when the aircraft – a 1991 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 – was taking off for Honolulu, Hawaii.
Minutes after takeoff, the aircraft lost altitude and plunged to earth near the airport perimeter.
The impact generated a large explosion, followed by a fire that quickly spread through an area near a parking lot and several cargo warehouses.
Emergency crews from the airport and the Louisville Fire Department immediately responded to bring the flames under control, while police cordoned off the area.
It had taken off from Muhammad Ali International Airport
🚨Louisville, Kentucky Plane Crash 🚨
A UPS Airlines cargo plane, identified as a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 (registration N259UP, flight 5X2976), crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky around 5:15 p.m. ET today. Horrible! pic.twitter.com/una235yYT0
– CreamyCornCob 🇺🇸 🏁 (@CreamyCornCob1) November 4, 2025
The Louisville Metro Police Department reported through its social media that it had responded to reports of a plane crash in the vicinity of the airport.
“Injuries are reported. We ask the public to avoid the area while emergency units work in the area,” the agency said.
Louisville Metro Emergency Services issued a shelter-in-place order for all communities north of the airport to the Ohio River due to heavy smoke and the possible presence of toxic materials in the air.
Videos and photographs posted on social networks showed a huge column of black smoke rising into the sky, while several firefighting units sprayed water on the fire from different points of the airport complex.
Images broadcast by local stations showed flames running across the tarmac of an adjacent parking lot and the wreckage of the aircraft consumed by the fire.
Ongoing research
The situation is serious. Please pray for the families affected. I’m headed to Louisville now.
– Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 4, 2025
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed in a message posted on the X network that first responders were already on the scene and that the state government is cooperating with federal authorities.
“We are monitoring the situation. Please pray for the pilots, crew and all those affected. We will share more information as it becomes available,” he wrote.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA announced that they will open a joint investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
Among the aspects to be analyzed are the weather conditions at the time of takeoff, the aircraft’s maintenance history and communications between the crew and the control tower.
A model with a complex history
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a wide-body aircraft widely used for cargo transport.
Although reliable, this model has been involved in several air incidents throughout its history, mainly due to difficulties during landing or take-off because of its size and weight.
UPS Airlines operates several such units on its long-haul international routes.
Muhammad Ali Airport, one of UPS’s most important logistics centers in the United States, temporarily suspended all takeoff and landing operations while emergency work continued.
UPS Airlines issued an official statement on the incident.
“At approximately 17:20 (Eastern Time) this afternoon, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, Kentucky, bound for Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crewmembers on board, was involved in an accident in Louisville. At this time, no injuries or fatalities have been confirmed.”
They also said that “UPS will release more information as it becomes available, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information on the investigation.”
Local authorities have cordoned off the perimeter of the accident and ask the public to avoid the area while investigations are being carried out.
The situation is serious. Please pray for the affected families. I am now heading to Louisville
Gobernador Andy Beshear
Filed under: UPS plane crashes
