Newly released footage captures the frightening moment when a UPS plane’s wing caught fire just before the aircraft crashed and exploded into flames. The incident occurred shortly after the plane departed from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. Tragically, nine individuals lost their lives in the crash, with four of them not being onboard. Additionally, 11 people sustained injuries, two of whom are in critical condition.
During take-off, a distressing video shows the left wing of the plane emitting smoke as it struggled to ascend, eventually crashing and engulfing the area in flames upon impact. Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas noted that the aircraft seemed to have difficulty gaining altitude as a fire blazed near one of its engines, given the substantial fuel load it was carrying, leading to an inevitable explosion or rapid fire growth.
Former Department of Transportation inspector general Mary Schiavo commented that the engine appeared to detach from the aircraft before the final impact and subsequent fireball. Investigations by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently underway to determine the cause of the crash involving a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F airplane.
Following the crash, a fuel recycling business adjacent to the airport was directly hit by the plane, while a car parts business also suffered damage from the wreckage. Firefighters worked tirelessly through the night to contain the fire spread over a large area and conducted thorough search operations for potential victims.
As a result of the incident, the airport remained closed the next day, with expectations of a delayed reopening. Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey stated uncertainties regarding the time required to secure the scene, while Fire Chief Brian O’Neill confirmed the triggering of secondary explosions after the plane struck fuel tanks at the recycling center.
