UPS MD-11 Crash Kills 14, Grounds US Fleet

A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on November 4, 2025, killing 14 people and prompting the grounding of all MD-11 aircraft in the United States. The incident, which occurred around 5:20 p.m. local time near the airport's UPS Worldport facility, involved a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter bound for Honolulu.

The plane, carrying a full load of fuel for the long-haul flight, reached about 100 feet in altitude before its left engine and pylon detached during takeoff. Video footage captured the aircraft flying low and ablaze as it veered off course, narrowly missing a restaurant and striking an auto parts lot and a petroleum recycling center. A large fireball erupted on impact, destroying the two businesses and igniting fires that spread across the site. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order within five miles of the airport as emergency responders contained the blaze.

Among the victims were the three pilots on board, identified by UPS in a statement as Captain Jonathan Fields, First Officer Jeremy Howard, and Flight Engineer David Miller. The remaining 11 fatalities were ground workers and others in...