A UPS MD-11 cargo jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 12.
Investigators are still sifting through the wreckage of a UPS cargo jet that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Tuesday evening. Officials have confirmed at least 12 fatalities in the accident, including three crewmembers operating the flight.
In an initial briefing, a spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shared that a jet engine mounted on the wing of the UPS jet, a widebody McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, had detached during the aircraft’s takeoff roll. The jet, loaded with 38,000 gallons of fuel for its long flight to Honolulu, exploded into a fireball upon impact just beyond the end of the runway.
The crash is the second fatal jetliner crash at a U.S. airport in 10 months. On January 29, a PSA Airlines regional jet operating a flight for American Airlines’ regional affiliate American Eagle crashed into the Potomac River on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The NTSB investigation of that accident continues. Accident investigations by the agency can take up to two years, after which a full report with causes and recommendations for improvement are issued.
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The NTSB is often regarded as the single source of truth related to an accident under investigation, so it will be some time before the causes of the accident in Louisville will be determined.
The crash happens during a charged moment for the nation’s aviation system. The shutdown of the federal government—now the longest on record—has suspended pay for many federal workers, including those who oversee aviation safety. Air Traffic Control staffing was reportedly part of the investigation into the PSA Airlines crash, and has reached critical levels during the shutdown. DOT officials warned Thursday that they might be forced to close some U.S. airspace and require airlines to reduce their flight schedules to maintain safety.
It’s worth noting there’s no indication that air traffic control staffing or overall staffing at the federal government’s safety regulators might have contributed to the Louisville crash—a crash whose investigation likely won’t be completed for many months.
At first look, the Louisville accident bears a striking resemblance to a 1979 American Airlines crash at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. On May 25 of that year, American Airlines Flight 191 from Chicago to Los Angeles was operated by the trijet McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft, the immediate predecessor to the MD-11 involved in Wednesday’s crash. In the Chicago crash, the wing-mounted engine from the left wing detached during the takeoff roll, severing aircraft control systems. The plane crashed less than a mile from the end of the runway, killing all 271 on board and two on the ground. That crash remains the deadliest aviation accident in the United States.
Because the DC-10 had been involved in several accidents up to that point, the FAA grounded the aircraft for over a month while it determined whether the aircraft’s design was a factor in the accident. Investigators ultimately found that faulty maintenance procedures on the engine were responsible for the accident.
Prior to January, U.S. aviation had enjoyed a multiyear streak without any major aircraft accidents. The last U.S. commercial flight to crash with significant fatalities was Colgan Air Flight 3407 near Buffalo in February 2009. The MD-11 aircraft first entered service in 1990 and has been involved in eleven accidents that rendered the aircraft a total loss. The majority of MD-11s remaining in service are operated by cargo airlines. UPS and FedEx, the largest operators of the aircraft, have announced their intention to retire the type from service in the coming years.
In spite of what appears to be an increase in crashes in 2025, there’s little to suggest that either accident is the result of an overall decline in aviation safety. The NTSB also investigates non-fatal incidents and accidents that receive far less media attention, issuing recommendations that continue to improve the safety of the aviation system for air travelers.
