UPS Cargo Jet Crashes After Takeoff in Louisville, Death Toll Rises to 9

Overview

• Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at least nine people were killed and warned the toll could rise, with UofL Health reporting 10 hospitalized, including two in critical condition.
• UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu, went down shortly after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in late afternoon local time.
• Preliminary tracking data and widely shared video indicate the aircraft briefly climbed to roughly 175 feet before impact, producing a large fuel-fed fire and a towering smoke plume.
• Authorities confirmed three crew were on board and several victims were on the ground, with damage reported at nearby commercial sites including a recycling facility and an auto parts business.
• Airport operations were halted after the crash and later resumed with the runway reopening on Wednesday morning, as officials maintained keep-away and shelter-in-place guidance around the site.