A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after take-off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, sending a towering plume of black smoke into the sky and prompting a major emergency response across Kentucky’s largest city.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, operating as UPS Flight 2976, went down near Fern Valley Road and Grade Lane just after 5 p.m. local time. The aircraft had been bound for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Three crew members were on board, UPS confirmed in a statement, adding that it had not yet verified any injuries or casualties. “We are aware of the incident involving Flight 2976 and are cooperating with authorities,” the company said.
Louisville Metro Police reported that injuries had been recorded and issued a shelter-in-place order for all locations within five miles of the airport. Several roads near the crash site have been closed indefinitely as emergency crews continue to work the scene.
Videos from local outlet WAVE-TV showed intense flames and thick black smoke billowing from an area just beyond the airport perimeter. Firefighters and hazmat teams were dispatched amid concerns over jet fuel and debris.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, which will take the lead on determining the cause.
Louisville serves as UPS’s global air hub, with its vast Worldport facility processing more than two million packages daily and employing over 12,000 people.
The MD-11, first introduced in 1990, has long been used for freight operations. The aircraft involved was built in 1991 and capable of carrying more than 38,000 gallons of fuel—a factor investigators are expected to consider as they examine what led to the fiery crash.
