On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, a UPS cargo plane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing at least seven people. It also hurt 11 others. At about 5:15 p.m. local time, UPS Flight 2976, which was being flown by a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, crashed shortly after taking off. The crash caused a huge fireball and thick black smoke that could be seen from miles away.
The plane was going from Louisville to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. It had three crew members on board. Federal officials say that the plane had an engine problem during takeoff. It then went off the runway and hit buildings nearby, such as a petroleum recycling plant and an auto parts store.
Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, confirmed the deaths and injuries. He said that the number of casualties could rise as emergency responders keep searching for survivors and putting out fires. He called the crash site a “scene of unimaginable tragedy.” Many agencies worked together to put out the fire and help those who were hurt.
After the crash, officials told people to stay inside within a five-mile radius of the airport. This order was later lifted as the situation got better. Because of ongoing emergency operations, major roads around the airport are still closed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are both looking into the accident. UPS’s Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, which is a major international air cargo hub, was closed for a short time. This affected flights and package deliveries across the country.
UPS put out a statement saying that the plane was involved in the accident and that there were three people on board. They also said that they were supporting the families and workers who were affected. The crash stops UPS’s Worldport operations, which is the biggest package handling facility in the world.
This sad event is one of the deadliest cargo plane crashes in recent years. It raises questions about how safe it is to operate large freighters. As investigators learn more about what caused UPS Flight 2976 to crash, we will post more updates.
