LOUISVILLE, KY – A UPS cargo aircraft exploded in a massive fireball during takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Monday evening, killing at least seven people and injuring 11 others in one of the worst aviation disasters to hit the region in years.
The MD-11 cargo jet burst into flames around 5:15 p.m. as it attempted to depart from the airport’s main runway. Witnesses reported seeing a bright orange explosion followed by thick black smoke billowing hundreds of feet into the air, visible for miles across the Louisville metro area.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene within minutes, finding wreckage scattered across the runway and surrounding taxiways. The intense fire made initial rescue efforts extremely difficult, with flames continuing to burn for more than an hour after the initial explosion.
Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill confirmed that four people were killed in the crash, though he cautioned that the death toll could rise as crews continue to search through the debris. The victims’ identities have not yet been released pending notification of their families.
Eleven others suffered injuries ranging from minor to critical, according to University Hospital spokesperson Jennifer Matthews. Several of the injured were transported by helicopter to regional trauma centers, while others were taken by ambulance to local hospitals.
The MD-11 is a large, three-engine cargo aircraft commonly used by shipping companies like UPS for long-distance freight operations. The specific plane involved in Monday’s crash had been in service for approximately 15 years, according to aviation records.
Louisville’s airport serves as UPS’s primary air hub, handling an average of 300 flights daily. The facility is one of the busiest cargo airports in the United States, processing millions of packages each week for distribution across the country and internationally.
Federal Aviation Administration officials arrived at the scene Monday evening to begin their investigation into what caused the explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board announced it would send a full investigative team to Louisville to examine the wreckage and interview witnesses.
Airport officials temporarily closed all runways following the crash, diverting incoming flights to nearby regional airports. Passenger operations resumed several hours later, though cargo operations remained suspended pending the investigation.
The crash marks the deadliest aviation accident in Kentucky since 2006, when a regional passenger jet crashed during takeoff from Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport, killing 49 people.
