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APA fireball erupts near airport property after reports of a plane crash at Louisville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) A large UPS cargo plane carrying three crew members crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, sparking a massive blaze and sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F aircraft went down around 5:15 p.m. as it was departing for Honolulu. Dramatic video footage showed flames erupting from the plane’s left wing moments before it briefly lifted off the runway, then plunged back down and exploded into a fireball. The impact shredded part of a nearby building’s roof near the end of the runway. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that there were injuries, urging residents to “pray for those that have been impacted.” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told WLKY-TV that the aircraft might have been carrying as much as 280,000 gallons of fuel, calling it an “extreme reason for concern in so many different ways.” UPS operates its largest package-sorting hub in Louisville, employing thousands and handling over 300 daily flights. The facility processes more than 400,000 packages per hour, making it a critical link in the company’s logistics network. Following the crash, a shelter-in-place order was issued for areas north of the airport extending to the Ohio River. The airport, located just 10 minutes from downtown Louisville and close to residential neighborhoods, a water park, and museums, temporarily suspended all incoming and outgoing flights as emergency crews battled the blaze. “At this time, all arriving and departing flights at SDF are temporarily suspended and the airfield is closed,” the airport announced on X.Live Events The FAA imposed a temporary flight restriction within a 5-mile radius of the site, allowing only relief operations until 7 a.m. ET Wednesday. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, built in 1991, is a three-engine widebody aircraft used primarily by major cargo operators such as UPS, FedEx Express, and Lufthansa Cargo. Originally introduced as a passenger jet in 1990, many were later converted for freight use due to rising fuel costs. The MD-11F can carry over 38,000 gallons of fuel and has a maximum takeoff weight of about 633,000 pounds.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Read More News onUPS cargo plane crashLouisville airport explosionMuhammad Ali International Airportflights suspended LouisvilleKentucky Governor Andy Beshear (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onUPS cargo plane crashLouisville airport explosionMuhammad Ali International Airportflights suspended LouisvilleKentucky Governor Andy Beshear(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless
