Louisville UPS Cargo Plane Crash: Death Toll Rises to 9, Investigation Underway

The death toll from the fiery crash of a UPS cargo aircraft that went down shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday has climbed to nine, local and state authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old MD-11 freighter burst into flames around 5:13 p.m. ET, moments after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, before crashing into an industrial area beyond the runway. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said nine bodies have been recovered so far, while Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned the number of fatalities could rise. UPS confirmed that all three crew members on board the aircraft were killed.

Several buildings near the crash site were engulfed in flames, with thick plumes of black smoke visible across the city. Eleven people were taken to hospitals on Tuesday, and at least ten others are still unaccounted for, a federal official told Reuters. Two survivors remain in critical condition.

Governor Beshear noted the disaster could have been far worse, saying the plane narrowly missed a crowded restaurant, a Ford manufacturing plant employing hundreds, and the city’s convention center, which was preparing for a major livestock event.

While the airport reopened to air traffic early Wednesday, the damaged runway will remain closed for up to 10 days. UPS also suspended its midmorning parcel-sorting shift at the airport hub following the halt of operations on Tuesday.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team is expected on site Wednesday to begin its investigation, with efforts focused on recovering the flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse said early video evidence shows the aircraft’s number one engine on fire and appearing to detach midair. Investigators will now determine how that failure affected the rest of the aircraft.

The plane had been fueled for an 8.5-hour flight to Honolulu. This is the first fatal UPS air crash since 2013, when an Airbus A300 crashed on approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, killing both pilots.

Brickhouse added there is currently no indication that the crash is linked to the ongoing 36-day U.S. government shutdown, which has strained the nation’s aviation system, including air traffic control staffing.