UPS Louisville hub shut down following plane crash; fatalities, injuries reported
A UPS plane crashed near the company’s global air hub at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday evening, causing an ongoing fire disaster and at least three fatalities and 11 injuries.
The incident has shut down air operations there as authorities rushed to assist injured people and contend with fire and debris in the area.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time after taking off from Louisville for Honolulu, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said that as of 7:45 p.m. ET there were three fatalities and 11 injuries, but noted he expects both numbers to grow.
Three crew members were on board, UPS confirmed.
“We do not at this moment have the status of the crew,” Beshear said. “Watching that video I think we’re all very, very worried about them.”
Aerial video from CBS News appeared to show a string of buildings and parking lots near the airport engulfed in flame. Beshear said two local businesses directly impacted were Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts.
The airfield is closed, disrupting UPS’ global logistics operations. The “Worldport” is UPS’ largest global package handling facility with 20,000 employees and 300 daily flights.
The plane involved was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, a wide-body cargo jet. While it wasn’t carrying hazardous cargo, it had more than 250,000 pounds of jet fuel on board, Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said.
Local emergency management has advised all homes and businesses in the extensive shelter-in-place zone to “turn off any air in-take systems as soon as possible.”
Although both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, the NTSB will “lead the investigation and will provide all updates.”
A local victim reunification site has been set up by first responders.
“This is a UPS town,” Louisville City Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe said Tuesday.
“We all know somebody who works at UPS. And they’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure they’re safe.”
The company has said its “Worldport” can reach 95% of the American population in four hours. The operation sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.
— Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi contributed to this report.
About the Author
As a business reporter, Emma Hurt leads coverage of the Atlanta airport, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Norfolk Southern and other travel and logistics companies. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she worked as an editor and Atlanta reporter for Axios, a politics reporter for WABE News and a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
