LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – A catastrophic scene of fire and carnage unfolded near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) late Tuesday evening, November 4, 2025, after a UPS cargo plane exploded shortly after takeoff, slamming into local businesses and instantly killing at least seven people, with injuries reported for at least eleven more.
The Crash Details
The doomed flight, UPS Flight 2976, an MD-11 freighter built in 1991 and bound for a long-haul trip to Honolulu, suffered a "catastrophic crash" around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
Horrifying video evidence shows flames burning fiercely off the jet's left wing as it briefly lifted off the runway before crashing back down and erupting into a monstrous ball of fire and a massive plume of black smoke visible for miles across the city.
The colossal blaze was fed by an enormous amount of fuel in which the plane was carrying an estimated 38,000 gallons (or 280,000 pounds) of jet fuel, which created a dangerous environmental hazard and a raging inferno. The impact obliterated two businesses just south of the airport: Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts.
Emergency Response
Emergency responders have been mobilized in force, searching through the wreckage for survivors. Two victims are currently in critical condition in the Burn Unit at UofL Hospital. Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed the Big Four Bridge would be lit yellow in tribute to the lives lost in the devastating tragedy that has shaken the city, which is home to the company's largest package handling facility, "Worldport," an operation that employs thousands.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have begun an intensive investigation into the cause of the sudden, fiery failure.
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