A UPS Plane's Deadly Descent: What Went Wrong?

A UPS cargo plane's left wing caught fire, and an engine fell off just before it crashed and exploded after takeoff in Kentucky. This disaster killed at least 12 people, including a child. The plane was on its way to Honolulu from UPS Worldport at the Louisville airport. The crash had a devastating ripple effect, causing smaller explosions at nearby businesses.

First Responders and the Aftermath

First responders searched the charred area of the crash, but finding survivors seemed unlikely. The inferno consumed the enormous aircraft and spread to nearby businesses. The plane gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of the runway before crashing just outside Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.

Airport Security Video and Investigations

Airport security video showed the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll. The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were recovered, and the engine was discovered on the airfield. The debris field stretched for half a mile, with parts of the airplane scattered in many different places.

Victims and Injuries

The number of victims is unclear, but the death toll is expected to rise. Authorities are looking for a handful of other people, but they do not expect to find anyone else alive. Two people were in critical condition in the burn unit at University of Louisville Hospital, and eighteen people were treated and discharged at that hospital or other health care centers.

Impact on the Community

The airport is close to residential areas, a water park, and museums. It resumed operations on Wednesday, with at least one runway open. The crash had a devastating impact on the community, with people nearby hearing the boom, seeing the smoke, and smelling burning fuel.

Investigation and Similarities to Past Crashes

The cause of the fire and why the engine fell off is still under investigation. It will likely take investigators more than a year to answer those questions. The plane was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991, and it was not clear if the three UPS crew members aboard were among the dead.

The crash bears similarities to a 1979 crash when the left engine fell off an American Airlines jet as it was departing Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, killing 273 people. Both planes were equipped with the same General Electric engines and underwent heavy maintenance in the month before they crashed.