At least seven people were killed and eleven others injured Tuesday evening after a UPS cargo aircraft exploded while taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, according to federal and local authorities.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. as the MD-11 cargo plane departed for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.

Witnesses reported seeing flames coming from the aircraft’s left wing before the plane crashed back onto the runway and erupted into a massive fireball.

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Videos posted to social media showed the plane attempting to climb with fire trailing from its wing before it exploded midair.

Dashcam footage later captured the aircraft striking the ground, leaving behind a widespread blaze visible from miles away.

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The impact destroyed parts of two nearby businesses—Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Autoparts.

Governor Andy Beshear said nearly all employees of those businesses were initially unaccounted for but were later located, though several were injured in the blast.

UPS confirmed that three crew members were aboard the flight at the time of the crash but did not immediately disclose whether they were among the fatalities.

“From the videos I’ve seen, I’m very concerned for them, but I’m still praying,” Governor Beshear said at a press conference Tuesday night.

“It may be some time until we can account for everyone,” he added.

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The aircraft was carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel for the long flight to Hawaii, which intensified the explosion and spread fire across a five-mile area.


Local officials said at least two victims remained in critical condition as of late Tuesday, and that the casualty count “is going to get larger” as recovery operations continue.

Residents in the surrounding area reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing debris raining down.

Louisville Metro Police spokesman Matt Sanders said the department received more than 20 calls from residents reporting falling debris.

“It fell out of the sky when I was working on the car, and that’s when we found out about the crash,” local resident Justin Dunn told KKTV while holding a piece of burned paper.

“And then my son was like, ‘Hey look up in the sky,’ and it was coming down out of the sky when he picked it up.”

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Other witnesses told WAVE News they found items scattered across a large area, including what appeared to be Hawaiian-style dresses from the plane’s cargo.

“There’s definitely debris all through here, probably within 10 miles,” Dunn said.

Louisville Metro Police advised residents to avoid the area south of the airport as multiple emergency agencies responded.

Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for surrounding neighborhoods due to heavy smoke and hazardous debris.

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“Please remain away from the area until further notice,” police said in a public statement.

The airport was shut down Tuesday night, and officials warned that travel disruptions would continue into Wednesday.

UPS suspended operations at its Worldport facility, the company’s largest global shipping hub, which handles roughly two million packages daily.

Employees assigned to the Next Day Air sort were told not to report to work until further notice, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

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UPS released a statement saying, “We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved. UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers, and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.”

The company confirmed it is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA in their investigation.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said on social media that every emergency agency in the city was responding.

“There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning. There are many road closures in the area—please avoid the scene,” he said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the crash “a horrific tragedy” and asked the public to “please join me in prayer for the Louisville community and flight crew impacted by this horrific crash.”

He confirmed that both the NTSB and FAA are leading the investigation and are on the ground in Kentucky.

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The explosion occurred as the ongoing federal government shutdown continues to affect air travel nationwide.

Earlier Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the shutdown has forced air traffic controllers to go without pay, increasing stress on aviation operations.

She called on Senate Democrats to approve a temporary funding resolution to restore pay for federal employees overseeing flight safety.

The FAA reported widespread staffing shortages at major control centers, leading to hours-long flight delays in Houston and Phoenix on Tuesday.

Ground Delay Programs were implemented at both locations, reducing arrivals and slowing air traffic across multiple regions.

As recovery teams continue their work in Louisville, investigators are expected to focus on mechanical and maintenance records for the UPS MD-11 aircraft, as well as communications between the flight crew and air traffic control in the moments before the explosion.

The NTSB said a preliminary report will be released in the coming weeks.

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