Key Takeaways

• Crash Details: A UPS cargo plane crashed at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing at least nine people.
• Investigation Status: The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident with multiple agencies involved.
• Survivor Reports: Two individuals are in critical condition, while others have been treated and released from local hospitals.
• Community Impact: The crash has affected local businesses and prompted a search for missing loved ones.

First responders searched for more victims early Wednesday (November 5) after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded in a massive fireball. The incident happened at the company’s global aviation hub in Kentucky. Authorities said the incident killed at least nine people and created an inferno that consumed the whole plane.

“With the intense fire that was there, most of the things are gone,” Mark Little, chief of the Okolona Fire District in Louisville said.

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More Details About The UPS Cargo Plane Crash

The UPS cargo plane with three people aboard crashed about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday. It was departing for Honolulu from UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Video showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke.

The crash had a ripple effect causing smaller explosions at Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and hitting Grade A Auto Parts according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

“Thankfully a local restaurant that is right there … was missed and now is helping the search and rescue,” Gov. Beshear said. “Another blessing is this plane could have potentially hit the major Ford factory or the convention center; those are all close by and did not.”

Based on videos of the crash aviation attorney Pablo Rojas said the aircraft appeared to be struggling to gain altitude as a fire blazed on its left side around one of its engines.
“Really the plane itself is almost acting like a bomb because of the amount of fuel,” he said.
Flight records show the plane was on the ground in San Antonio from Sept. 3 to Oct. 18. Jeff Guzzetti a former federal crash investigator said it’s too early to know whether the problem was in the engine structure that holds the engine or something else.
“This airplane apparently did undergo heavy maintenance within the past month and investigators will need to comb through the maintenance records to see exactly what was done,” he said.
The airport resumed operations Wednesday morning with at least one runway open. A public school district in Louisville canceled classes for the day.

Number Of Victims After Crash Is Unclear

The National Transportation Safety Board was at the scene with investigators. The governor again predicted the death toll would grow noting that sixteen families had arrived at a reunification center for news of loved ones.

“I don’t know how many victims we’re actually looking for,” the Okolona Fire District Chief said. “That’s one of the issues and the debris zone is so large. Some of that debris is going to have to be moved and searched underneath. It will take us quite a while.”

University of Louisville Hospital said two people were in critical condition in the burn unit on Wednesday. Additionally thirteen others had been treated and discharged; five people were treated at other hospitals.

Meanwhile Gov. Andy Beshear said he was unaware of the status of three crew members aboard the UPS cargo plane; it wasn’t clear if authorities were counting them among the dead. The plane involved McDonnell Douglas MD–11 was built in 1991.

Police blocked off a busy road about a quarter-mile from the crash site Wednesday. UPS workers could be seen entering and exiting the UPS Worldport building and at least two company flights were seen taking off.

The airport is seven miles (11.2 kilometers) from downtown Louisville close to Indiana state line residential areas a water park and museums; people in immediate area were told not to drink tap water.

Community Response

The Louisville package handling facility is company’s largest; hub employs thousands of workers handles three hundred flights daily sorts more than four hundred thousand packages an hour.
“We all know somebody who works at UPS,” Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe said. “And they’re all texting their friends their family trying to make sure everyone is safe; sadly some of those texts are probably going to go unanswered.”
The governor said The Team Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund typically used to help people in natural disasters is accepting donations to help with funeral expenses and other hardships.
“In Kentucky we grieve together and we support one another,” Beshear said.
Hoping for information about missing loved ones
Eric Richardson stood outside a police training academy where people gathered waiting for word of their missing loved ones Tuesday night; he said his girlfriend who had been at metal recycling business near explosion wasn’t answering her phone; her phone’s live location said she was still there.
Bobby Whelan Richardson’s friend had been in front of her in line but had left minutes before explosion.
“We don’t even want to think about anything but best,” Whelan said; “All our friends were there.”
Tom Brooks Jr., who runs metal recycling business down street said unbelievable magnitude of crash “just rocked whole place.”
“It literally looked like war zone,” he said.
Destyn Mitchell was working as host at Outback restaurant about fifteen-minute drive from crash when she heard loud boom.
“People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under thirty minutes packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home,” she said.

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Associated Press writers and more Bruce Schreiner Hallie Golden Dylan Lovan Rebecca Reynolds Josh Funk John Raby Adrian Sainz Jonathan Mattise Travis Loller and Kathy McCormack contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.