UPS Plane Crash At Kentucky Airport Kills At Least 9, More Missing

First responders searched for more victims early Wednesday (November 5) after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded in a massive fireball. The accident occurred at the company’s global aviation hub in Kentucky. Authorities said the accident killed at least nine people and caused a massive fire that consumed the entire plane.

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

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More details about the UPS cargo plane crash

The UPS cargo plane with three people on board crashed at around 5:15pm on Tuesday. The departure was for Honolulu from the UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. A video clip showed flames on the plane’s left wing and a trail of smoke.

In addition, the incident had a ripple effect. It struck and caused more minor explosions at Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Class A auto parts, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

“Fortunately, a local restaurant that was located there has gone missing and is now assisting with search and rescue operations,” Governor Beshear said. “The other saving grace is that this plane could have hit the main Ford plant or the convention center, which are all nearby, and it didn’t happen.”

Based on videos of the crash, aviation lawyer Pablo Rojas said the UPS plane appeared to struggle to gain altitude with flames on its left side around one of its engines.

He added: “In fact, the plane itself is almost like a bomb because of the amount of fuel.”

Flight records show the plane was on the ground in San Antonio from September 3 to October 18. Meanwhile, Jeff Guzzetti, a former federal accident investigator, said it’s too early to tell if the problem is with the engine, the chassis that holds the engine, or something else.

“This aircraft appears to have undergone extensive maintenance over the past month, and investigators will need to examine maintenance records to find out exactly what was done.” He said.

The number of casualties after the accident is unclear

On Wednesday, the governor again predicted that the death toll would rise, noting that 16 families had arrived at the reunification center to get news of their 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 problems, the wreckage area is quite large. Some of that debris is going to have to be moved and searched underneath. It’s going to take some time.”

University of Louisville Hospital said two people were in critical condition in the burn unit on Wednesday. In addition, paramedics treated and released 13 others. Five people were treated in other hospitals.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andy Beshear said he was not aware of the status of the three crew members on the UPS cargo plane. It was not clear whether the authorities counted them among the dead. The plane in question, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, was manufactured in 1991.

The governor said team Kentucky’s Emergency Relief Fund, which is 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 support each other,” Beshear said.

What is the situation at the airport?

The package handling facility in Louisville is UPS’s largest. Furthermore, the company employs thousands of workers, handles 300 flights a day, and sorts more than 400,000 packages per hour.

The airport is located near the Indiana state line, residential areas, a water park, and several museums. Officials asked residents in the nearby area not to drink tap water. The Louisville Public School District has canceled classes for the day.

However, the airport resumed operations on Wednesday morning and opened at least one runway. UPS workers can be seen entering and exiting the UPS Worldport building. At least two flights were seen taking off. Police closed a busy road about a quarter mile from the accident site on Wednesday.

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Associated Press writers Bruce Schreiner, Haley Golden, Dylan Lovan, Rebecca Reynolds, Josh Funk, John Rabe, Adrienne Saenz, Jonathan Mathis, Travis Lawler and Kathy McCormack contributed to this report.