Cargo Plane Crashes After Takeoff from Louisville Airport, Killing 7 and Injuring 11; Residents Ordered Indoors Within 8 km Radius

Digital Desk

A UPS cargo aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Wednesday evening, killing seven people and injuring at least eleven others, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local authorities.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane, operating as UPS Flight 2976, was en route to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it went down around 5:15 p.m. local time. Eyewitnesses reported a massive fireball erupting moments after takeoff, with black smoke billowing across the southern section of the airport.

Louisville Metro Police ordered residents within an 8-kilometer radius to remain indoors due to the dense smoke and possible toxic fumes. The airport was temporarily shut down as fire and rescue teams battled flames and searched for survivors.

Initial investigations suggest that a fire may have been triggered by lithium batteries on board — a scenario similar to the 2010 UPS Flight 6 crash in Dubai. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the cause.

According to preliminary reports, the aircraft was carrying nearly 25,000 gallons (about 95,000 liters) of jet fuel, which fueled the intense blaze. The UPS MD-11, originally designed as a passenger jet, was later converted into a freighter and can carry up to 280,000 kilograms of cargo.

UPS confirmed that three crew members were on board but did not provide further details pending notification of families. The crash occurred near the UPS Worldport facility, the company’s largest logistics hub, which employs more than 12,000 workers and processes nearly two million packages daily.

Officials said the fire remains active, and damage assessments are underway. Investigators are focusing on whether mechanical failure, overloading, or hazardous cargo contributed to the tragedy.