Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear also said 11 people were injured and the number of casualties could rise.
Published November 5, 2025
A large UPS widebody cargo plane crashed while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, causing a massive fire and “multiple injuries” on the ground, authorities said, killing at least seven people.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement that UPS Flight 2976 crashed on Tuesday at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time (22:15 GMT) while departing Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Airport.
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UPS said in an initial statement that there were three crew members on board the plane, but did not provide information on casualties or injuries.
According to the Associated Press, four of the seven people confirmed dead were not on the plane.
“If you’ve seen the images and you’ve seen the video, you know how violent this crash was,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at a news conference, after saying three people were confirmed dead and the death toll was expected to rise.
“There are at least 11 injuries, some very serious, that are being treated at local hospitals. Again, I think that number will grow,” Beshear said.
Beshear also said the National Transportation Safety Board, with assistance from the FAA, will begin an investigation into the accident.
Aerial footage of the crash scene showed a long trail of debris as firefighters sprayed water on the huge blaze and smoke rose from the affected area.
Beshear said the plane directly struck two local businesses, an oil recycling company and an auto parts company.
Aerial photo: Aftermath of UPS plane crashed at Louisville Airport | Click image to read full story https://t.co/rKvQXXrmvt
— WLKY (@WLKY) November 4, 2025
The Louisville Metro Police Department announced in a social media post that it has issued a “shelter-in-place” notice for all locations within a five-mile radius of the airport.
“All emergency agencies are responding to the scene. There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a social media post.
“Many roads are closed in the area. Please avoid approaching the scene,” Ms Greenberg said, calling the incident an “incredible tragedy” for the local community.
Louisville Airport is home to UPS Worldport, the company’s global hub for air cargo operations, with thousands of employees, approximately 300 daily cargo flights, and is said to be the world’s largest baggage handling facility.
The FAA said the plane that crashed was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 flying from Louisville to Honolulu, Hawaii.
The plane flew from Louisville to Baltimore early Tuesday before returning to Louisville, according to the aircraft tracking site Flightradar 24.
Louisville Airport announced that the airfield was closed following the incident.
Reuters reported that the incident could disrupt UPS deliveries and major customers such as Amazon, Walmart and the US Postal Service.
