A UPS Airlines cargo plane crashed near Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday afternoon, triggering a fireball and a thunderous explosion that were captured in a widely shared video.
The footage shows the MD-11 freighter going down near the airfield moments after takeoff, followed by flames and a plume of smoke.
Insane footage posted on Instagram which appears the show the crash earlier of UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Cargo Plane operated by UPS Airlines, during takeoff at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to the crash, a clear fire can been… pic.twitter.com/RpKJoNQekW
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 4, 2025
🚨 HOLY CRAP! Absolutely INSANE up-close angle of
UPS Flight 2976 crash in Louisville
The plane supposedly slammed right into a petroleum recycle facility
Absolutely wild. pic.twitter.com/gcI13rL87O
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 5, 2025
The aircraft was operating a Louisville–to–Honolulu flight, UPS said. Preliminary reports indicated injuries at the scene, though the nature and extent were not immediately clear. The company said three people were on board. Louisville Metro Police Department and other emergency crews responded to the crash site.
Also Read: 3 Dead As Large UPS Cargo Plane Crashes, Bursts Into Flames During Takeoff In Louisville | Videos
UPS, which operates its primary Worldport hub in Louisville, confirmed on X that one of its aircraft was involved and that it was cooperating with authorities. A shelter-in-place advisory was issued within a five-mile radius of the area, including Fern Valley Road, as responders worked to secure the site and manage the fire.
In a statement, UPS said that three crew members were on board the aircraft, but provided no information as to any casualties or injuries.
Aerial footage of the crash site showed a long trail of debris as firefighters blasted water onto a conflagration, with smoke billowing from the disaster area.
A nearby building appeared to have sustained damage, possibly caused by the crash.
