UPS cargo plane crash: Aircraft explodes during takeoff in US's Louisville, death toll rises to 7

The death toll in the UPS cargo plane crash in United States's Louisville has risen to seven. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening (local time) when a large UPS cargo plane carrying three crew members crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, sparking a massive blaze and sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F aircraft went down around 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu. Dramatic video footage showed flames erupting from the plane’s left wing moments before it briefly lifted off the runway, then plunged back down and exploded into a fireball. The impact shredded part of a nearby building’s roof near the end of the runway.

Among the 11 who were hurt, some had “very significant” injuries, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.


“Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is,” he said.

Beshear said he didn't know the status of the three crew members aboard the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991.


UPS operates its largest package-sorting hub in Louisville, employing thousands and handling over 300 daily flights. The facility processes more than 400,000 packages per hour, making it a critical link in the company’s logistics network.

Following the crash, a shelter-in-place order was issued for areas north of the airport extending to the Ohio River. The airport, located just 10 minutes from downtown Louisville and close to residential neighborhoods, a water park, and museums, temporarily suspended all incoming and outgoing flights as emergency crews battled the blaze. “At this time, all arriving and departing flights at SDF are temporarily suspended and the airfield is closed,” the airport announced on X.

The FAA imposed a temporary flight restriction within a 5-mile radius of the site, allowing only relief operations until 7 a.m. ET Wednesday.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, built in 1991, is a three-engine widebody aircraft used primarily by major cargo operators such as UPS, FedEx Express, and Lufthansa Cargo. Originally introduced as a passenger jet in 1990, many were later converted for freight use due to rising fuel costs. The MD-11F can carry over 38,000 gallons of fuel and has a maximum takeoff weight of about 633,000 pounds.