UPS Kentucky plane crash- UPS Flight 2976 crash in Louisville

UPS Kentucky plane crash: UPS Flight 2976 crash in Louisville

Last updated: 4:08 pm, Saturday, 8 November 2025, Eastern Time (ET)

A UPS cargo plane, a MD-11 crashed after taking off at Louisville International Airport on on Tuesday, 04 November 2025.

UPS Flight 2976 took from Louisville International Airport for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. The aircraft crashed three miles south of the Louisville International Airport. According to the initial reports, the plane was loaded with approx. 38,000 gallons of fuel weighing roughly about 233,000 pounds.

According to the latest reports, at least 14 people have died including 3 crew members as the aircraft crashed through the buildings and the roads. 

Louisville International Airport is the UPS’s largest package handling facility. The facility handles 300 daily flights and more than 400,000 packages an hour.

UPS and FedEx have grounded all MD-11 aircrafts in service following the crash.

UPS Flight 2976 plane crash investigation

NTSB team has recovered the black boxes of the aircraft. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) were recovered from more than half a mile long debris field.

One video of the UPS flight 2976 crash showed the left engine missing before it hit the ground. It is still not clear what caused the fiery crash but one assumption is the aircraft may have lost it’s one of the engine during the take off roll. One engine was also recovered next to the runway. 

According to the flight records, the MD-11 aircraft was flown to San Antanio maintenance facility on September 03, 2025 where it underwent the repairs. The aircraft didn’t flew until October 18, 2025.

It was reported to FAA a month ago that rust was discovered in two separate areas of structural parts along with a crack near the center wing upper fuel tank.
The reports are regularly sent to FAA which helps FAA to track problems and issue airworthiness directives when required.

UPS Flight 2976 plane crash videos

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