Investigators recover ‘black boxes’ from UPS plane that crashed after engine fell off, leaving 12 dead

According to a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, Todd Inman, the thick plume of fire erupted around the cargo plane’s left wing and one of its three engines detached from that wing as the plane’s wide-body was rolling down the runway. The MD-11 freighter, which was a 34-years-old plane, had departed for Honolulu when it crashed with three crew members aboard the plane, Reuters reported.

Since the plane gained enough altitude to clear the runway, it crash landed just outside of the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, leading to the death of at least 12 people, Inman added. Airport security video “shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll,” he said.

The tough news continues today as the death toll in Louisville has now risen to at least 11, and I expect it to be 12 by end of the day. Even harder news is that we believe one of those lost was a young child. 1/2

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 5, 2025

Due to the crash and ensuing fire, the Louisville airport was forced to shut down for the night and the operations at the UPS Worldport facility remained disrupted, which slowed the delivery services. The plane had engulfed in fire and blazes scattered in a debris field that stretched about a half a mile through an industrial corridor, including a petroleum recycling facility that was set ablaze and exploded, Reuters reported.

Governor Beshear declared a state of emergency in Kentucky on Wednesday following the crash and fire at the Louisville airport, in order to fasten the disaster response resources to scene of the crash.

(with inputs from agencies)