A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday, killing all three crew members and four people on the ground while injuring 11 others. The Boeing 747 fireball ignited multiple industrial-area blazes, forcing an overnight airport closure and raising questions about aviation safety amid a U.S. government shutdown.
Footage from local CBS affiliate WLKY showed flames engulfing one wing before the aircraft plummeted, scattering debris across two runways. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed ground fatalities and critical injuries, while Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned the death toll could rise.
The crash disrupted operations at UPS Worldport – the shipping giant's global air cargo hub – with the company acknowledging potential delivery delays. Aviation expert John Cox highlighted anomalies in the incident, stating: "That airplane should have flown on two engines. Now we've got to look at what caused it not to fly."
The tragedy occurs as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of "mass chaos" due to air traffic controller shortages during the prolonged government shutdown. This follows January's fatal American Eagle crash near Washington, intensifying scrutiny of U.S. aviation infrastructure.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are examining why an engine separated mid-flight and the cause of the intense pre-crash fire. Debris analysis and flight data recordings will be critical to determining if systemic safety issues contributed to the disaster.
