US: Cargo Plane Crashes During Take-off; 3 Dead, 11 Injured

A UPS cargo plane carrying three crew members crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in the United States on Tuesday evening, erupting into flames and sending thick black smoke over the area.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, bound for Hawaii, went down around 5:15 pm local time (3:45 am IST), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed at least three fatalities and 11 injuries, warning that the numbers could rise. He described some injuries as “very significant” and urged the public to pray that casualties remain low. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said emergency responders were still battling the blaze and attending to “multiple injuries.”

UPS confirmed that three crew members were on board and said it was coordinating with authorities for more information. Video footage from local broadcaster WLKY showed the aircraft’s left engine on fire as it attempted to lift off, and aerial views captured a trail of debris near the crash site.

Louisville is the primary US hub for UPS, which operates nearly 2,000 flights daily to over 200 countries with a fleet of 516 aircraft, including 294 owned planes.

The crash comes amid a US government shutdown that has disrupted aviation operations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy earlier warned of potential “mass chaos” due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. Duffy described footage of the crash as “heartbreaking” and asked the public to keep the victims and the Louisville community in their thoughts.

In January, a collision between an American Eagle airliner and a military Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C.’s Reagan Airport killed 67 people, ending a 16-year streak without fatal commercial air crashes in the U.S. and raising concerns over the strain on air traffic control.

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