A fatal aviation accident in the United States has shocked the world as a UPS Airlines cargo jet crashed shortly after take-off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, killing at least 12 people, including a child, and injuring many others.
The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (tail number N259UP), was cleared for departure from Louisville on 4 November 2025 en route to Honolulu. Seconds after commencing its take-off roll, onboard security video captured the left engine detaching from the wing and a fire erupting in the left-wing section. The crew gained brief altitude but crashed just outside the airport perimeter.
Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage. A debris field stretching over half a mile has been documented. Initial inquiries indicate the engine detachment and ensuing fire were central to the collapse of the aircraft’s flight path.
The impact zone spread to nearby businesses, including an auto-parts yard and a recycling facility, which sustained secondary blasts. Authorities noted the cargo plane was heavily fuelled for the long-haul flight, adding to the magnitude of the explosion and subsequent fire.
Transportation experts say the accident bears troubling similarities to the 1979 DC-10 Chicago crash in which an engine separated during take-off. That incident, like the present one, involved a detachment of a left-wing engine and ensuing fire.
UPS has temporarily suspended operations at its Louisville hub, one of the company’s busiest, and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. With the official cause yet to be determined, aviation authorities worldwide are monitoring developments closely – the final report is expected to take more than a year.
