Plums of smoke rise from the area of a UPS cargo plane crash at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, on November 4, 2025. JON CHERRY / AP
As of Wednesday, November 5, at least 12 people have died following a cargo plane crash in Kentucky, with investigators saying the accident was caused by one of the engines catching fire and detaching during takeoff. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, operated by package delivery giant UPS and bound for Hawaii, crashed at 5:15 pm on November 4, shortly after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
It exploded into flames as it plowed into businesses adjacent to the airport, killing multiple people on the ground. A three-person crew was aboard. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called the tragedy "heartbreaking" and "unimaginable."
The National Transportation Safety Board sent teams to Louisville to investigate the accident. NTSB member Todd Inman told reporters that investigators had reviewed closed-circuit airport footage "which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the take-off roll."
Subscribers only
