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Fire on the Wing

Saturday, 08 November 2025 00:51

Summary

On the evening of 4 November 2025, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, operating as UPS Airlines Flight 2976, crashed moments after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky.2 The aircraft, bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, suffered a catastrophic failure during its takeoff roll, with its left engine detaching as a fire erupted on the wing.5,17 The ensuing crash into a nearby industrial area claimed the lives of all three crew members and at least ten people on the ground, making it the deadliest cargo plane accident on US soil.2,18 The incident triggered a massive emergency response and brought operations at UPS Worldport, the company's global air hub and the nerve centre of its logistics network, to a standstill.3,35 Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are now piecing together the events that led to the disaster, focusing on the aircraft's maintenance history and a mysterious, persistent bell sound captured by the cockpit voice recorder in the flight's final seconds.9,20 The crash has not only devastated families but has also sent ripples through the global supply chain, highlighting the critical role and inherent risks of the air cargo industry.19,25

A Fiery Departure

At approximately 5:15 PM local time on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, UPS Flight 2976 began its takeoff roll from Runway 17R at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.3,36 The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, a three-engine cargo workhorse, was bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, an 8.5-hour flight.2,3 On board were three crew members and up to 20,000 packages, carried by an aircraft laden with about 38,000 gallons of fuel.3 As the aircraft sped down the runway, airport security video captured a large plume of fire erupting from the area of the left wing.10,13 During this critical phase of takeoff, the left engine detached from the aircraft.5,17 The plane managed to lift off, gaining just enough altitude to clear the airport's perimeter fence.10,17 Flight data indicated it reached a speed of 210 miles per hour and an altitude of approximately 100 feet above the ground.4,20 Moments later, it crashed into an industrial area about half a mile south of the airport, impacting structures that included an auto scrap yard and a petroleum recycling facility.2,17 The impact resulted in a massive fireball and subsequent explosions, with a debris field stretching for half a mile.2,10 Eyewitnesses and dramatic videos captured by dashcams and security cameras showed the aircraft trailing flames before it disappeared into the fiery explosion that sent a towering column of black smoke into the sky.5,43

The Heart of a Global Network

The crash occurred at the epicentre of UPS's global logistics empire.11 Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) is home to UPS Worldport, the company's primary international air hub.3,21 This 5.2 million-square-foot facility is the size of 90 football fields and serves as the linchpin of a network that reaches over 220 countries and territories.16,29 With more than 20,000 employees, UPS is the largest employer in the Louisville area.16,30 The Worldport facility is an automated marvel, capable of sorting up to 416,000 packages per hour, with around 300 UPS flights arriving and departing daily.3,16 Its central location in the United States allows it to reach 95% of the US population within a four-hour flight.16,29 The immediate aftermath of the crash forced a halt to these sprawling operations.34 Package sorting was suspended, and the airfield was temporarily closed, causing a ripple effect across the global supply chain.19,35,42 UPS cancelled its Second Day Air sort and advised some employees not to report to work.3,35 The disruption caused inevitable shipping delays for air and international packages, with the company extending delivery commitment times for some services and implementing contingency plans to reroute shipments through regional hubs.19,25,33

A Human Tragedy

The disaster resulted in a significant loss of life, both in the air and on the ground.2 The death toll rose to 13 in the days following the crash.4,14 All three crew members aboard Flight 2976 perished.2,10 UPS identified them as Captain Richard Wartenberg of Independence, Kentucky; First Officer Lee Truitt, 45, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond of Caldwell, Texas.4,7 The crash also claimed the lives of at least ten people on the ground.18 Among the victims were Louisnes Fedon and his three-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa.6,7 Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg described the crash site as "horrific," filled with "charred, mangled metal."4 At least 15 injured people were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment, with two reported to be in critical condition.4,5 As emergency crews worked through the still-dangerous scene, several people remained unaccounted for in the initial days.3,5 The city government established a system for residents to report debris found in their yards, urging them not to touch or move any potential evidence.5

The Investigation Unfolds

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) immediately dispatched a team of more than two dozen investigators to Louisville to determine the cause of the crash.3,5,9 A key focus of the investigation is the catastrophic failure of the left engine.10 Investigators conducted a foreign object debris walk on runway 17R and recovered the main component of the number one engine, along with pieces of engine fan blades, for analysis.4,9 Both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR), commonly known as the "black boxes," were recovered from the wreckage on the day after the crash.3,10 Despite suffering some heat damage, the NTSB successfully downloaded the data from both recorders.9,10 The CVR captured two hours and four minutes of good quality audio.36 Analysis of the recording revealed a crucial acoustic clue: a persistent, repeating bell sound that began 37 seconds after the crew applied takeoff thrust.20,36 This bell continued for 25 seconds until the recording ended at the point of impact.20,36 Former crash investigators have suggested the bell was likely a signal for an engine fire, occurring at a point when the aircraft was likely past the decision speed to safely abort the takeoff on the runway.20 The NTSB is also probing the maintenance history of the 34-year-old aircraft, which had been in San Antonio, Texas, for repairs from September to mid-October before the crash.9,18

A Legacy of Cargo Aviation Safety

The Louisville crash is the third fatal accident in the history of UPS Airlines, which was founded in 1988.2,32 In September 2010, a Boeing 747 freighter crashed near Dubai after a fire started by the combustion of lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold, killing both pilots.15,32 In August 2013, an Airbus A300, operating as Flight 1354, crashed on approach to Birmingham, Alabama, also killing both pilots.8,26 The NTSB determined the probable cause of the 2013 crash was the flight crew's continuation of an unstabilized approach and failure to monitor their altitude, with pilot fatigue cited as a contributing factor.8,12,22 The MD-11 model, while a long-serving workhorse in the cargo industry, has a mixed safety record and is being gradually phased out by some operators.38 This latest incident has once again placed a spotlight on the unique challenges and risks of air cargo operations.32 While the industry is considered highly safe, the demands of overnight schedules can raise concerns about pilot fatigue.12,26 The investigation into Flight 2976 will scrutinize every aspect of the flight, from maintenance procedures to crew actions, to understand the chain of events that led to the tragedy and to inform safety recommendations for the future.12

Conclusion

The investigation into the crash of UPS Flight 2976 will be a meticulous and lengthy process.12 For the families of the 13 victims, the process of grieving has just begun.4 For the city of Louisville, the crash is a deep wound for a community where UPS is not just a major employer but a part of the civic identity.16,30 Operations at Worldport have resumed, but the disruption served as a stark reminder of the fragility of the complex, high-speed logistics networks that underpin the modern global economy.14,25 The findings of the NTSB will be critical in determining the specific cause, whether it was a mechanical failure, a maintenance oversight, or a combination of factors.12 The sound of the bell in the cockpit's final seconds is a haunting echo of the emergency the crew faced, and understanding its significance is paramount for investigators working to ensure such a catastrophe does not happen again.20,36

References

  1. Current time information in Louisville, KY, US

    Provides the current time in Louisville, which is not directly used in the article but helps establish the temporal context of the event for research purposes.

  2. UPS Airlines Flight 2976 - Wikipedia

    Provides a comprehensive overview of the crash, including the date, flight number, aircraft type (MD-11), destination (Honolulu), cause (engine separation), and the number of fatalities, establishing it as the deadliest cargo plane accident in the US and the third fatal accident for UPS Airlines.

  3. UPS plane crashes near Louisville airport, killing at least 13; black boxes recovered

    Confirms the date and time of the crash (around 5:15 p.m. local time), the flight's destination, the number of crew members (three), the recovery of the black boxes, and details about the amount of fuel and packages on board. It also describes the immediate impact on UPS Worldport operations.

  4. UPS plane crash death toll rises to 13 as authorities begin identifying some victims

    Reports the final death toll of 13, names the three crew members (Wartenberg, Truitt, Diamond), mentions the number of injured taken to the hospital, and quotes the mayor's description of the crash site. It also provides details on the aircraft's last recorded altitude and speed.

  5. Kentucky plane crash: death toll rises to 12 as officials investigate how engine detached

    Confirms that the left wing caught fire and an engine fell off. It also mentions the number of NTSB agents on site, the number of injured, and the city's request for residents not to touch debris.

  6. Grandfather, 3-year-old granddaughter identified as victims in Louisville UPS plane crash

    Identifies two of the ground victims as Louisnes Fedon and his three-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa, providing a human element to the tragedy.

  7. UPS crew members killed in Louisville plane crash identified - Lexington Herald Leader

    Confirms the identities of the three crew members and provides their home states. It also corroborates the identification of the grandfather and granddaughter who died on the ground.

  8. UPS Airlines Flight 1354 - Wikipedia

    Provides historical context on a previous fatal UPS crash (Flight 1354 in 2013), including the cause related to an unstabilized approach and the death of both pilots. This is used for the section on aviation safety.

  9. NTSB: UPS Crash Thursday Updates - AVweb

    Details the NTSB's investigation, confirming the number of investigators on site, the successful download of the flight recorders, and the recovery of engine debris for analysis. It also notes the review of maintenance records.

  10. NTSB says an engine fell off UPS plane before deadly Louisville crash - WDRB

    Provides key details from the NTSB's initial findings, including the confirmation from airport video that the left engine detached during the takeoff roll and that the plane briefly lifted off before crashing. It also confirms the recovery of the black boxes.

  11. At least 3 dead, 11 injured in UPS plane crash and explosion in Kentucky | PBS News

    Confirms the crash occurred at UPS's largest package handling facility and provides early casualty numbers. It also highlights the danger at the scene due to flammables.

  12. Crash During a Nighttime Nonprecision Instrument Approach to Landing UPS Flight 1354 - NTSB

    Provides the official NTSB report on the 2013 UPS Flight 1354 crash, detailing safety issues related to crew communication, fatigue, and procedures. This is used to provide context on cargo aviation safety.

  13. 3 Pilots Identified Among 12 Killed In UPS Crash: 'An Incredibly Sad Time for Our Entire UPS Family' - People.com

    Corroborates the identities of the three pilots killed in the crash and confirms that a large fire erupted from the left wing during the takeoff roll.

  14. Death toll from UPS plane crash at Louisville airport rises to 13 | Kentucky | The Guardian

    Confirms the final death toll of 13 via the Louisville mayor and corroborates the names of the three crew members. It also notes that Worldport operations resumed and all runways were reopened.

  15. UPS Airlines - Wikipedia

    Provides background information on UPS Airlines, its hub-and-spoke model centred on Worldport, and details of a previous fatal crash in Dubai (Flight 6) caused by a lithium-ion battery fire.

  16. UPS Worldport | United Parcel Service - UPS Jobs

    Provides official UPS figures on the scale of Worldport: its size (5.2 million sq ft), number of employees (20,000), daily flights (300), and package sorting capacity (400,000+ per hour).

  17. UPS plane engine fell off during crash in Louisville, NTSB official says - CBS News

    Provides a clear statement from an NTSB official that the left wing caught fire and the engine detached during takeoff. It also describes the plane clearing the fence before impacting structures.

  18. UPS plane crash investigation will probe maintenance history: NTSB | The Straits Times

    Confirms the NTSB is investigating the aircraft's maintenance history, specifically a period of repairs in Texas. It also states that at least 10 people on the ground were killed and names the three deceased crew members.

  19. UPS anticipates shipping delays after crash at its aviation hub in Louisville | PBS News

    Explains the impact of the crash on the supply chain, confirming that the incident will result in shipping delays and that UPS has contingency plans in place.

  20. Investigators look into 'repeating bell' heard during takeoff of UPS cargo plane that crashed

    Provides the crucial detail about the repeating bell sound captured by the cockpit voice recorder, its duration (25 seconds), and when it began (37 seconds after takeoff thrust). It also clarifies the plane's altitude as 100 feet, not 475 feet.

  21. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport - Wikipedia

    Provides background information on the airport itself, confirming it is the hub for UPS Airlines and home to Worldport. It also gives details on the airport's size and runways.

  22. DCA13MA133.aspx - NTSB

    This is the NTSB's summary page for the 2013 UPS Flight 1354 crash, stating the probable cause as the flight crew's continuation of an unstabilized approach. This supports the section on safety history.

  23. Louisville Airport (SDF) | Muhammad Ali... - UNIS

    Provides cargo throughput rankings for Louisville's airport, confirming it as the third-busiest in the US and sixth-busiest worldwide by cargo, underscoring the significance of the hub.

  24. Inside the world of UPS' overnight shipping hub - Marketplace.org

    Provides descriptive details about the scale and operation of Worldport, such as processing 2 million packages daily and having 155 miles of conveyor belts, which adds context to the disruption.

  25. Ripple Effect, UPS Plane Crash May Slow Down Packages You're Expecting - K-Love

    Discusses the supply chain disruption, quoting an expert who estimates the number of packages per plane and explains how UPS would use regional hubs to offset the closure of Worldport.

  26. Flying Tired: The crash of UPS Airlines flight 1354 | by Admiral Cloudberg - Medium

    Provides a narrative account of the 2013 UPS crash in Birmingham, which is useful for contextualizing the safety record of the airline and the issue of pilot fatigue in the cargo industry.

  27. News | Orlando, Orange County, Florida News, Local Headlines | ClickOrlando | WKMG News 6

    Corroborates the detail about the repeating bell sound heard on the cockpit voice recorder, confirming information from other primary sources.

  28. CFI Brief: UPS Flight 1354 Crash, Lessons Learned - Learn to Fly Blog

    Confirms the 2013 UPS crash in Birmingham involved an Airbus A300-600 and resulted in two fatalities, providing context for the airline's safety history.

  29. UPS distribution hub in Louisville has 300 flights per day. What to know - AP News

    Provides key statistics about Worldport, including its size (90 football fields), daily package volume (2 million), and the number of daily flights (more than 300), which illustrates the scale of the disruption.

  30. UPS breaks ground on Louisville expansions - About UPS

    Confirms that UPS is the largest employer in metro Louisville with over 25,000 employees and details ongoing investments, highlighting the company's deep connection to the city.

  31. UPS - Louisville Riverport Authority

    Corroborates the figure that Worldport processes an average of 2 million packages daily, reinforcing the scale of the operation.

  32. UPS plane crash: Louisville crash is not the first, the shocking history of deadly and fatal crashes in UPS airlines will shock you - The Economic Times

    Provides a concise history of UPS's previous fatal crashes in Dubai (2010) and Birmingham (2013), stating that the Louisville crash would be the third deadly accident in the airline's history.

  33. Service Alerts | UPS - United States

    Provides official communication from UPS regarding operational adjustments after the crash, including the extension of delivery commitment times for certain services.

  34. LATEST: NTSB crash investigators try to minimize disruption for UPS customers

    Confirms that UPS canceled the day shift at Worldport following the crash and that the second-day air sort was halted, detailing the immediate operational impact.

  35. UPS plane crash kills at least 9, disrupts package sorting | Supply Chain Dive

    Reports on the halt of package sorting operations at Worldport and the cancellation of the Second Day Air sort, directly linking the crash to operational disruptions.

  36. UPS MD-11 crashes departing Louisville | Flightradar24 Blog

    Provides specific timings from the CVR data, noting the persistent bell started 37 seconds after takeoff thrust and continued for 25 seconds until the recording ended. Also confirms the flight number and aircraft registration.

  37. Local News, Weather and Sports from WNEP Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania | wnep.com

    Serves as a secondary source corroborating the key detail about the repeating bell sound heard on the cockpit voice recorder during the takeoff sequence.

  38. UPS crash leaves seven dead and disrupts global operations - Air Cargo Week

    Notes that the MD-11F model has a mixed safety record and is being phased out by some operators. It also highlights the age of the airframe involved and the temporary suspension of operations at Worldport.

  39. Category:UPS Airlines accidents and incidents - Wikipedia

    Lists the previous fatal accidents for UPS Airlines (Flight 6 and Flight 1354), which helps to categorize and confirm the historical context of the Louisville crash.

  40. 60 Minutes Overtime - CBS News

    Corroborates the NTSB's revelation about the persistent bell sound captured on the cockpit voice recorder, reinforcing this critical piece of evidence in the investigation.

  41. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport

    The official airport website, used to confirm the airport's name and location, serving as a foundational source for the setting of the event.

  42. Multiple fatalities, injuries confirmed after UPS plane crashes near Louisville airport

    Provides early reporting on the crash, confirming the number of crew members on board (three), the flight's destination (Honolulu), and the immediate closure of the airfield.

  43. Dramatic videos show the burning UPS cargo plane crash in a massive fireball - Chron

    Describes the visual evidence from multiple videos of the crash, confirming the plane was on fire as it lifted off the runway and crashed in a massive explosion. This supports the narrative of the event's final moments.