Date:	Tuesday 4 November 2025
Time:	c 17:14 LT
Type:	McDonnell Douglas MD-11(F)
Owner/operator:	United Parcel Service - UPS
Registration:	N259UP
MSN:	48417/467
Year of manufacture:	1991
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	11
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Louisville-Muhammad Ali International Airport, KY (SDF/KSDF) -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Louisville-Muhammad Ali International Airport, KY (SDF/KSDF)
Destination airport:	Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
A United Parcel Service McDonnell Douglas MD-11(F), N259UP, flight 5X2976, was destroyed shortly after taking off from 17R at the Louisville-Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF/KSDF), Louisville, Kentucky. The aircraft departed controlled flight, the left wing dropped and collided with industrial buildings. A post-crash fire ensued.

The three crew members and eleven people on the ground perished and at least eleven people were injured.

ADS-B data data suggests the takeoff was started at 17:12.27. Several videos show that the number 1 (left) engine had separated from the wing during takeoff and came to rest close to the runway.

The main takeaways from this first NTSB press conference:
- The MD-11 lost its left engine during takeoff roll (confirmed by CCTV)
- Both flight recorders were located in the debris. They suffered heat exposure.
-The debris field extends over 800 meters.

November 7: 26 UPS MD-11 are grounded.

Weather:
METAR KSDF 042056Z 15006KT 10SM FEW200 BKN250 17/04 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP237 T01720044 56028
METAR KSDF 042156Z 12006KT 10SM SCT200 BKN250 17/05 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP233 T01670050 <<<
METAR KSDF 042256Z 17006KT 10SM SCT032 BKN250 16/05 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP230 FU SCT032 T01560050

https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/statements/ups-statement-on-aircraft-accident.html
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/ups-plane-crash-louisville-airport?post-id=cmhmhlmr900003b6ny63wsu9m
https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/ups-plane-crash-louisville-airport
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c201kgq59qgt
https://abc7.com/post/plane-crash-reported-louisville-airport-shelter-place-issued-police/18113563/
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/louisville-airport-kentucky-reports-aircraft-incident-closes-airfield-2025-11-04/
https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/ups-md11-crash-louisville-airport
https://www.fox19.com/2025/11/07/union-leaders-hold-vigil-13-victims-deadly-ups-plane-crash/
https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article312831656.html


https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N259UP
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a27abd&lat=38.157&lon=-85.744&zoom=13.8&showTrace=2025-11-04&leg=4&trackLabels

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/70646_1624597857.jpg (photo)

Ex HS-TME and the aircraft was converted to a freighter in 2006.

WATCH: Dash cam video shows UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky

[image or embed]

— BNO News (@bnonews.com) November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM

❗️UPS is grounding its MD-11(F) fleet with immediate effect at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer.

There are currently 26 MD-11s in the UPS fleet of 294 total aircraft. https://t.co/kBao5qBeOJ pic.twitter.com/VziC5VNQnI

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) November 8, 2025

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Nov-2025 04:37	Captain Adam	Added
05-Nov-2025 05:32	RobertMB	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, ]
05-Nov-2025 05:35	RobertMB	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 06:05	Aerossurance	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 06:18	Anon.	Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 06:19	ASN	Updated
05-Nov-2025 06:22	Anon.	Updated [Embed code, ]
05-Nov-2025 07:29	Captain Adam	Updated [Phase, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 08:01	RobertMB	Updated [Phase, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 08:29	Aerossurance	Updated [Time, Embed code, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 09:52	Aerossurance	Updated [Phase, Embed code, Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 10:12	Aerossurance	Updated [Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 19:36	SXORPIO	Updated [Source, ]
05-Nov-2025 20:26	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
05-Nov-2025 20:48	Iceman 29	Updated [Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 21:06	Iceman 29	Updated [Narrative, ]
05-Nov-2025 22:11	Justanormalperson	Updated [Location, Source, ]
06-Nov-2025 06:21	DeltaLima	Updated [Narrative, ]
06-Nov-2025 13:03	gerard57	Updated [Narrative, ]
06-Nov-2025 15:27	Anon.	Updated [Narrative, ]
06-Nov-2025 17:25	Vice Captain Edmond	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
06-Nov-2025 22:18	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
07-Nov-2025 08:04	gerard57	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
07-Nov-2025 18:19	Aerossurance	Updated [Narrative, ]
08-Nov-2025 06:37	Iceman 29	Updated [Country, Embed code, ]
08-Nov-2025 06:40	Iceman 29	Updated [Country, Embed code, Narrative, ]
08-Nov-2025 08:40	gerard57	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]