A UPS airplane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport shortly after takeoff, prompting a shelter-in-place order.
“At approximately 5:20 PM ET tonight, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crewmembers onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville. At this time, we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties,” UPS stated in a release.
“UPS will release more facts as they become available, but the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation,” it added.
“The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F is a freight transport aircraft manufactured originally by McDonnell Douglas and later by Boeing,” CNN reported, according to Collin Rugg.
“The plane can reportedly carry up to 38,000 gallons of fuel,” he added.
Footage below [EXPLICIT LANGUAGE]:
JUST IN: The plane that crashed near the Louisville, Kentucky airport was a UPS MD-11 plane, according to CNN.
A shelter-in-place has been issued for locations within 5 miles of the airport.
"The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F is a freight transport aircraft manufactured originally… pic.twitter.com/OUlX92eQZl
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 4, 2025
Fox Business shared:
The Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed its officers, along with multiple other agencies, were responding to the crash, which happened near the UPS Worldport.
Police confirmed multiple people were injured. It is unclear if there were any fatalities.
“This is an active scene with fire and debris,” police wrote in an X post. “Stay away.”
The agency later issued an emergency shelter-in-place alert for all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River.
SDF noted its airfield is closed.
Watch additional footage below:
🚨 BREAKING: Aerial video of a MASSIVE blaze following a UPS cargo jet crash near Louisville International Airport
A 5-MILE shelter in place order has just gone out around the airport
It’s unclear what exactly the jet was hauling, and if it was toxic. pic.twitter.com/DU7nJIRoxk
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 4, 2025
NEW: Large explosions after UPS Flight 2976 crashes near Louisville International Airport in Kentucky pic.twitter.com/qQ2bSug3tz
— BNO News (@BNONews) November 4, 2025
ABC News has more:
It appears there was an engine issue during takeoff, sources told ABC News.
UPS said it has been “notified of an incident/accident involving one of our aircraft” in Louisville.
The airport is home to UPS Worldport, the company’s massive package handling facility.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
ADVERTISEMENTA large plume of smoke could be seen near the airport, which is closed, according to the FAA.
ABC News provided additional coverage:
