A UPS cargo aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, killing at least seven people and injuring 11 others, according to Kentucky authorities. The fiery crash sent a massive plume of black smoke over the area and triggered a widespread shelter-in-place order for neighborhoods near the airport.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll could rise as emergency crews continue searching the crash site, where several victims suffered what he described as “very significant” injuries.
Dramatic video captured the moment the aircraft — heavily fueled for a long-haul flight to Hawaii — slammed into the ground and exploded into a towering fireball.
The plane struck at least two businesses on impact, Beshear said. Kentucky Petroleum Recycling appeared to have been hit “pretty directly,” while Grade A Auto Parts also sustained heavy damage. Two employees from the auto parts business remain unaccounted for.
“It may be some time before we can account for everyone or know that no one else was on the grounds,” Beshear cautioned during a press briefing.
UPS confirmed that three crew members were aboard the aircraft but said it has not yet verified their conditions. “We do not, at the moment, have the status of the crew,” Beshear added. “Watching that video, I think we’re all very, very worried about them.”
UofL Health reported receiving 10 patients, two of whom are in critical condition at a burn center.
Authorities initially ordered residents within five miles of the airport to shelter indoors due to concerns about hazardous smoke and possible fuel contamination. The advisory was later narrowed to a one-mile radius, officials said Tuesday night.
Investigators from federal aviation agencies are expected to arrive at the scene as emergency crews continue recovery and containment operations.
























