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| Plane crash |
In a terrifying scene that shook the local community, a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, erupting into a massive fireball that lit up the night sky and prompted immediate airport closure and emergency response. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F aircraft bound for Honolulu, went down around 5:15 p.m. local time on November 4th, just moments after departing from the airport that serves as UPS's primary global hub. Heart-stopping videos circulating on social media captured thick, black smoke billowing near Fern Valley and Grade Lane areas as first responders raced against time to control the blazing wreckage and search for survivors in what witnesses described as an apocalyptic scene.
The Louisville Metro Police Department issued an urgent alert confirming an "active scene with fire and debris" and reporting multiple injuries, though the exact number and severity remain unclear as rescue operations continue into the night. Authorities have indefinitely closed critical roadways including Grade Lane between Stooges and Crittenden while implementing shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents as a precautionary measure. The aircraft, registered as N259UP, had barely begun its journey to Hawaii when flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed it climbing briefly before mysteriously disappearing from radar, leaving aviation experts and anxious observers wondering what could have caused such a catastrophic failure in the critical moments after takeoff from one of the world's busiest cargo facilities.
As emergency crews battle the intense flames and secure the crash site, both the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have launched full-scale investigations to determine the cause of this devastating incident that has temporarily paralyzed operations at UPS Worldport—the delivery giant's largest global package handling facility. This tragic event marks one of the most significant aviation emergencies in recent Louisville history and has sent shockwaves through the aviation industry, particularly coming from an airport that serves as the beating heart of UPS's global air cargo network, handling millions of packages daily and employing thousands of local residents who now watch with heavy hearts as the investigation unfolds.
Source: FAA, NTSB, Louisville Police, Flightradar24