Tragic UPS Cargo Plane Crash Claims 14 Lives and Destroys Businesses

Mon Nov 10 2025 22:11:04 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville's Worldport hub, resulting in fatalities and extensive destruction. Investigators are now piecing together the cause of this devastating incident.

On Tuesday, a UPS cargo plane crashed during takeoff from the Worldport facility in Louisville, Kentucky, killing 14 individuals, including three pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the accident, focusing on cockpit alarms and engine failures. Initial data suggests the plane was less than 100 feet in the air when it crashed, prompting immediate safety inquiries and lawsuits against UPS as operations at the facility resumed soon after the incident.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A UPS cargo plane was close to becoming airborne when a bell sounded in the cockpit. For approximately 25 seconds, the alarm rang as the pilots struggled to control the aircraft, which was barely lifting off the runway, its left wing ablaze and missing an engine. Tragically, it then crashed to the ground in a fireball, leaving a devastating impact.

The crash occurred at UPS Worldport, the global aviation hub in Louisville, Kentucky, claiming the lives of 14 people, including three pilots aboard the MD-11 aircraft that was en route to Honolulu.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman reported that the cockpit voice recorder captured the alarm, which sounded about 37 seconds after the crew initiated takeoff thrust. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the alarm, though evidence shows that the left wing was on fire and the engine had detached.

It may take months to release a transcript of the cockpit recording, according to Inman. Former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti suggested that the bell likely indicated an engine fire.

Investigators are also utilizing video footage from various sources capturing the crash, which occurred just outside the airport at a speed of 210 mph, significantly lower than initially reported. The NTSB has clarified it only reached an altitude of 100 feet before the crash, contrary to earlier claims of 475 feet.

Legal action has commenced against UPS, with a federal lawsuit filed by an automotive repair shop destroyed in the crash and a local resident who required hospital treatment for smoke inhalation. The complaint alleges that UPS, its contractors, and the aircraft's manufacturers didn't meet their duty of care, seeking unspecified damages.

UPS Worldport is the company's largest facility, employing over 20,000 people and processing approximately 400,000 packages every hour. Operations were allowed to resume on Wednesday night following the crash.

This incident emphasizes the importance of strict safety measures in the aviation industry as investigations continue to uncover the full scope of the events leading to this tragic accident.