The Louisville Metro Police Department said in a social media post that some injuries were reported. Authorities closed the airfield following the accident and emergency teams were immediately dispatched.
WASHINGTON: A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in the US. A massive fire broke out as the plane struck, forcing authorities to close the airspace and order nearby residents to evacuate. Officials said UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, crashed shortly after departure at around 5:15 pm local time on November 4. The cargo plane was flying from Louisville to Honolulu.
Police said some people were injured.
Video posted on social media showed thick smoke billowing near Fern Valley and Grade Lane, south of the airport. Emergency teams were seen arriving at the scene. The Louisville Metro Police Department said in a social media post that some people were injured. Police said on the social media platform X that there was fire and debris, and people were asked to stay away.
The airport is home to the headquarters of the US delivery giant, UPS Worldport, which serves as the global hub for the company’s air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility. UPS operates its McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, built in 1991.
‼️🇺🇸🔥Harrowing footage of a cargo plane crash in the US
▪️A McDonnell Douglas MD-11F operated by UPS exploded during takeoff from the airport in Louisville, Kentucky.
▪️After the crash, a powerful explosion and a large plume of black smoke rose short of the runway at Muhammed… pic.twitter.com/XwQMdAj8Vl
— Bernadette 🏴🇮🇪🇷🇺🇵🇸 (@BDooher) November 4, 2025
Airspace closed
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the accident in a post on X. “Initial response teams are on scene and we will share information as it becomes available. Please pray for the pilots, crew, and everyone affected. We will share more information soon,” he said. Louisville International Airport reported that a plane was involved in the accident and the airspace was temporarily closed while emergency services worked at the scene.


