UPS Plane Crash: Engine Dislodged in Louisville Incident

A UPS cargo aircraft departing from Louisville International Airport experienced a catastrophic failure when its left wing caught fire, leading to the detachment of an engine, according to federal investigators.

Todd Inman, an official from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), revealed during a press conference that the mishap occurred shortly after the plane took off at 5:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, aiming for a flight to Honolulu.

The aircraft, carrying three crew members, managed to ascend enough to clear the perimeter of Runway 17R before it tragically collided with structures beyond airport limits.

Details were sparse, but Inman described the scene as a sprawling debris field extending over half a mile, highlighting the severe impact of the crash.

Investigators located the aircraft's flight recorders on Wednesday. Despite heat exposure, these black boxes are anticipated to provide crucial insights once analyzed in the NTSB's Washington laboratory.

Background and Impact

The airplane involved was an adapted McDonnell Douglas model, currently under Boeing's jurisdiction due to a past merger. Approximately 28 investigators from the NTSB are committed to identifying the crash's cause.

Governor Andy Beshear acknowledged that while the crash impacted facilities like a petroleum recycling plant and an auto parts yard, nearby significant locations like a restaurant, a Ford factory, and a convention center were narrowly missed.

Initially, 11 casualties were reported, with expectations for this number to increase to 12 as updates were provided by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.

Investigations and Possible Causes

Aviation expert Pablo Rojas noted that the plane appeared to struggle to maintain altitude, with a critical fire visible near its engines. A former federal investigator emphasized that understanding the role of recent heavy maintenance on the aircraft would be vital to the investigation.

The MD-11F uses General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines, which have been involved in notable past aviation incidents, including a severe event during a Chicago takeoff in 2016.