The MD-11 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff, igniting a fire and causing injuries near Louisville’s airport

Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A large UPS cargo plane with three people aboard crashed Tuesday while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, igniting an explosion and massive fire that left a thick plume of black smoke over the area.

The plane crashed about 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Injuries were reported, the Louisville Metro Police Department said in a social media post.

“My understanding is that there were about 280,000 gallons of fuel on the plane, and so that is extreme reason for concern in so many different ways,” Mayor Craig Greenberg told WLKY-TV.

UPS’s largest package handling facility is in Louisville. The hub employs thousands of workers, has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 airplane owned by UPS was manufactured in 1991.

A shelter-in-place order was extended to all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a post on X that he is aware of the reports.

“First responders are onsite, and we will share more information as available,” he said. “Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected. We will share more soon.”

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