A UPS cargo plane crashed Tuesday after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, igniting a massive fire and prompting a shelter-in-place order around the airfield, officials said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu, went down at about 5:15 p.m. local time. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, the agency added. UPS confirmed “an incident/accident involving one of our aircraft in Louisville” and said updates would follow. (RELATED: ‘Stall, Recovery!’: Moments Before Deadly Plane Crash Caught On Audio)
“Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected,” Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote on X as first responders rushed to the scene.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.…
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 4, 2025
Louisville Metro Police said injuries were reported, without providing a count, and urged people to avoid the area amid fire and debris, according to the Associated Press. Local authorities issued a shelter-in-place order within five miles of the airport, later extending it north to the Ohio River, according to official notices shared by media.
Video and images published by WDRB News showed a towering black plume near the UPS Worldport complex adjacent to the runways.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
