UPS Airlines Flight 2976
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November 4th, 2025. A date etched into memory. UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a routine cargo flight bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, from Louisville, Kentucky, met a catastrophic end just moments after takeoff. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, a workhorse of the skies, suffered a terrifying engine separation during its ascent. It plunged back to earth, igniting a disaster in an industrial area near the airport. The crash claimed at least thirteen lives, including all three crew members on board, marking it as the deadliest incident in UPS Airlines' history. The National Transportation Safety Board is now leading the investigation into this devastating event.
UPS Airlines, a titan in air cargo, had weathered storms before. Founded in 1988, it had experienced two fatal accidents prior to Flight 2976: Flight 6 in 2010 and Flight 1354 in 2013. This particular flight, an 8.5-hour journey, was a critical link in their network, originating from their bustling hub in Louisville.
The aircraft, registered as N259UP, was a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11F. It began its life as a passenger jet for Thai Airways International in 1991 before its conversion to cargo operations and delivery to UPS in 2006. It was powered by three robust General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines.
At the controls were Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
The takeoff from runway 17R commenced around 5:13 p.m. EST. The weather was described as "pretty fair." Initial tracking data showed the aircraft reaching a modest altitude of 175 feet and a ground speed of 186 knots. Crucially, the flight was not carrying hazardous cargo. However, the audio from air traffic control was so riddled with interference that any meaningful communication was lost.
Then came the horrifying visuals. Bystander videos captured the impossible: the aircraft airborne, its number one engine gone, the wing ablaze. Seconds after leaving the ground, the plane veered left, descending sharply, a descent from which it could not recover. It struck the roof of a UPS Supply Chain warehouse, leaving a gaping gash. The left wing then collided with fuel tanks at a petroleum recycling depot, igniting a massive inferno and causing the aircraft to roll. It finally crashed into a semi-truck parking area and an auto scrap yard, its landing gear still extended. The debris field stretched for a staggering half-mile. The missing left engine, believed to have detached during the takeoff roll, was found on the grass near the runway.
The impact and subsequent fires devastated multiple buildings, with reports of people trapped inside. Two employees of the auto yard were unaccounted for, and the number of customers on the premises that day remains unknown. UPS confirmed the three crew members were on board.
The human toll was devastating. At least thirteen people perished, including a child. Fifteen families initially reported missing loved ones. By the morning of November 6th, nine remained missing. The confirmed deaths included all three brave crew members. UofL Health reported treating fifteen patients, thirteen of whom had been discharged.
In the immediate aftermath, flights to and from the airport were halted. A shelter-in-place order was issued for a five-mile radius, later reduced. Wireless Emergency Alerts kept residents informed. Over a hundred firefighters battled the blaze. Families were directed to a reunification center, advised to avoid overwhelming hospitals. UPS suspended operations at its Worldport air hub. The fire was largely contained by 10:30 p.m., allowing first responders to focus on victim recovery. Public schools in Jefferson County were closed the following day. The shelter-in-place radius was further reduced as authorities urged the public not to touch any debris. By the afternoon of November 5th, the airfield had reopened, and UPS had resumed its scheduled operations.
Condolences poured in from Kentucky's U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. A town hall meeting began with a moment of silence. Representative Morgan McGarvey lauded the bravery of first responders. State flags flew at half-staff. The Big Four Bridge, spanning the Ohio River, was illuminated in UPS's signature yellow in a show of solidarity. Teamsters Local 89, representing UPS workers, held a candlelight vigil, marking the exact time of the crash with a moment of silence.
The National Transportation Safety Board, alongside the Federal Aviation Administration, launched a full investigation. A dedicated go-team of 28 personnel arrived on scene. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered. UPS pledged full cooperation. Preliminary data from the NTSB indicated the last ADS-B message at 5:13:32 p.m. showed an altitude of 475 feet and a speed of 183 knots.
This tragedy echoes past incidents, including American Airlines Flight 191, a DC-10 that also experienced engine separation during takeoff, and Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde that caught fire on takeoff. The investigation continues, seeking to understand the full chain of events that led to the loss of UPS Airlines Flight 2976.
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UPS Airlines Flight 2976 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, to Honolulu, Hawaii, that crashed shortly after takeoff on November 4, 2025. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, suffered an engine separation during takeoff and crashed into an industrial area near the airport. The crash killed at least 13 people, including all 3 on board the aircraft, making it the deadliest accident involving UPS Airlines. The accident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
== Background ==
UPS Airlines is the United States' second-largest cargo airline. Founded in 1988, the company had suffered two fatal accidents before Flight 2976: UPS Airlines Flight 6 in 2010 and UPS Airlines Flight 1354 in 2013.
Flight 2976 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight operated by UPS Airlines, from their hub in Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, an 8.5-hour flight.
=== Aircraft ===
The aircraft, N259UP, was a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11F with manufacturer serial number 48417. In July 1991, it was delivered as a passenger aircraft to Thai Airways International, registered as HS-TME. The aircraft was later converted to a cargo aircraft and delivered to UPS Airlines in 2006. It was equipped with three General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines.
=== Crew ===
The flight was operated by Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief captain Dana Diamond.
== Accident ==
The aircraft took off from runway 17R, heading south, on schedule at about 5:13 p.m. EST (UTC−5). Weather at the time was described as "pretty fair". According to initial flight tracking data, the aircraft reached 175 feet (53 m) above ground level and a maximum ground speed of 186 knots (344 km/h; 214 mph). The flight was not carrying hazardous cargo. Radio communication with air traffic control, which is routinely archived, was so full of interference that no meaningful speech could be discerned.
Bystander videos show the aircraft taking off with its number one (left) engine absent and the wing engulfed in flames. Seconds after becoming airborne, the aircraft turned left of the runway centerline and entered a sharp descent from which it was unable to recover. After hitting the roof of a UPS Supply Chain warehouse in which it left a 90-metre (300 ft) gash, the aircraft's left wing hit a stand of fuel tanks at the Kentucky Petroleum Recycling company's depot, causing a massive fire to erupt, and the aircraft to roll over 90 degrees to the left. The airplane then crashed into a semi-truck parking area and an auto scrap yard, Grade A Auto Parts, with its landing gear still extended. The debris field stretched for a half-mile. The left engine, which is believed to have separated from the wing during the takeoff roll, was found lying on the grass near runway 17R.
Multiple buildings were set on fire or destroyed; there were reports of people being trapped inside.
Two employees of the auto yard were unaccounted for, and it is unknown how many customers were on the premises. UPS said three crew members were on board the aircraft.
== Victims ==
At least 13 people died, including a child. Fifteen families initially reported missing relatives. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg reported, as of the morning of November 6, six of the missing have been accounted for, leaving nine still missing. According to authorities, the 13 confirmed deaths include all three crew members on board the aircraft. A spokesperson for UofL Health reported that the system has received 15 patients, of whom 13 had been discharged as of the next morning.
== Aftermath ==
All flights to and from the airport were immediately canceled. The Louisville Metro Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order centered on the airport with a radius of 5 miles (8 km). This was later reduced to 1 mile (1,600 m) by Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services. Wireless Emergency Alerts messages were issued to those in the shelter-in-place area. At the last briefing of the day, Mayor Greenberg said that more than 100 firefighters were at the scene. Local police officials said families should not seek loved ones at hospitals, to avoid overwhelming them; but to visit a reunification center at the police training academy.
UPS suspended operations at its Worldport air hub.
The fire was nearly contained by 10:30 p.m., freeing up first responders to search for victims.
All public schools in the Jefferson County School District were closed the day after the crash.
The radius of the shelter-in-place order was reduced for the third time, effective at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday November 5, centered near 7501 Grade Lane, to 1⁄4 mile (400 meters). The Louisville Metro Government set up a website for people to report and document debris, which they were urged not to touch, and numerous departures were delayed or canceled.
At 7:40 a.m. on November 5, Louisville International Airport announced that Runway 11/29 was open. At 4:50 p.m. the airfield was open and the airport had resumed most of its normal operations. UPS also resumed scheduled operations from Louisville.
== Reactions ==
Kentucky U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul expressed their condolences to the victims. A town hall meeting in Louisville with U.S. Senate candidate Nate Morris started with a moment of silence following the accident. Representative Morgan McGarvey thanked the bravery of first responders at the scene. State flags were flown at half-staff.
The Big Four Bridge crossing the Ohio River between Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana, was illuminated in yellow, one of the main colors used by UPS, in solidarity.
Teamsters Local 89, which represents transportation and warehouse workers including UPS, held a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims of the crash at the local union hall, which began with a moment of silence at 5:14PM marking the time of the crash.
== Investigation ==
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The NTSB launched a go-team of 28 personnel. At a media briefing held on November 5, 2025, with board member Todd Inman serving as the on-scene spokesperson, they announced the recovery of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. UPS Airlines announced it was in close contact and cooperating with the NTSB and the FAA.
At a media briefing held on November 6, 2025, the NTSB announced that the last ADS-B message received at 5:13:32 p.m. EST (UTC−5) showed an altitude of 475 feet (145 m) and a speed of 183 knots (339 km/h; 211 mph).
== See also ==
List of accidents and incidents involving airliners in the United States § Kentucky
List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
List of aircraft accidents and incidents by number of ground fatalities
2025 in aviation
Similar accidents and incidents:
American Airlines Flight 191 (1979) – A DC-10, the direct predecessor of the MD–11, that crashed during initial climb following the separation of the left engine during takeoff roll; 273 died
Air France Flight 4590 (2000) – A BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde that suffered a fire during takeoff roll and crashed into a hotel; 113 died
Other cases of engine separation:
Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 (1983)
China Airlines Flight 358 (1991)
El Al Flight 1862 (1992)
Trans-Air Service Flight 671 (1992)
Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 46E (1993)
Nationwide Airlines Flight 723 (2007)
Omega Aerial Refueling Services Flight 70 (2011)
== Notes ==
== References ==
== External links ==
NTSB investigation page
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