LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — At least seven people are dead after a UPS cargo plane crashed Tuesday while taking off from the Louisville airport, leaving a trail of flames just miles from the city’s downtown.
The plane crashed at about 5:15 p.m. after its left wing caught fire. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, made in 1991, was departing for Honolulu from UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear stated that 11 others sustained significant injuries, though the victims have not been publicly identified. Four of the deceased were on the ground, not aboard the aircraft, as noted by Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill.
Residents captured video of the incident, showing flames erupting from the plane's wing and hearing loud booms before the craft crashed, resulting in a massive fireball. The inferno spanned almost an entire city block, destroying nearby property including parts of a building’s roof.
The Louisville airport has been shut down following the crash and is expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday morning.
In a brief statement, UPS acknowledged the crash and confirmed that it was cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is handling the investigation. The company suspended operations temporarily, although there was no hazardous cargo on the plane.
Pablo Rojas, an aviation attorney, remarked that the aircraft appeared to struggle for altitude amid the flames, suggesting that the fire on the left side near one of the engines led to a significantly dangerous situation. He noted that the fuel on board exacerbated the risk of explosion, as the plane essentially acted like a bomb under such conditions.
The plane crashed at about 5:15 p.m. after its left wing caught fire. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, made in 1991, was departing for Honolulu from UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear stated that 11 others sustained significant injuries, though the victims have not been publicly identified. Four of the deceased were on the ground, not aboard the aircraft, as noted by Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill.
Residents captured video of the incident, showing flames erupting from the plane's wing and hearing loud booms before the craft crashed, resulting in a massive fireball. The inferno spanned almost an entire city block, destroying nearby property including parts of a building’s roof.
The Louisville airport has been shut down following the crash and is expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday morning.
In a brief statement, UPS acknowledged the crash and confirmed that it was cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is handling the investigation. The company suspended operations temporarily, although there was no hazardous cargo on the plane.
Pablo Rojas, an aviation attorney, remarked that the aircraft appeared to struggle for altitude amid the flames, suggesting that the fire on the left side near one of the engines led to a significantly dangerous situation. He noted that the fuel on board exacerbated the risk of explosion, as the plane essentially acted like a bomb under such conditions.
