Dash Cam Reveals UPS Plane Engine Failure Before Deadly Kentucky Crash
A devastating scene unfolded in Louisville, Kentucky, when a UPS cargo plane crashed near the Muhammad Ali International Airport, leaving at least 12 people dead, including a child. Newly released dash cam footage shows the horrifying final moments before the crash, revealing that the aircraft had lost its left engine. The engine was later found on the runway, having detached from the plane during takeoff. Investigators are now faced with the difficult task of determining how and why the engine came off and what caused the fire that consumed the massive plane.
The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 with three crew members aboard, had been cleared for takeoff when a large fire erupted in the left wing. Despite the emergency, the plane managed to gain enough altitude to clear the airport fence before crashing just outside the facility. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have already been recovered, offering investigators vital information as they piece together what went wrong. However, experts warn that it could take over a year to fully understand the cause of the engine failure and subsequent fire.
The crash did not only affect the plane itself. Smaller explosions were triggered as debris hit nearby sites, including Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and an auto salvage yard. Tragically, the child who lost their life was at the salvage yard with a parent. Eyewitnesses describe scenes of chaos and disbelief. Kyla Kenady, a bartender at a nearby bar, recalled lights flickering and watching the plane descend in flames over the volleyball courts before she ran through the bar screaming to warn everyone.
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Authorities have been scouring the charred crash site for survivors and victims. While the death toll is confirmed at 12, officials are still looking for a “handful of other people,” though survival is not expected. Hospital officials reported that two individuals remain in critical condition with severe burns, while 18 others have been treated and discharged.
The MD-11 plane involved in the crash is operated from UPS’s Worldport hub, the company’s largest aviation facility, which handles hundreds of flights and over 400,000 packages per hour. UPS expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, emphasizing the impact on both the crew and the surrounding community.
Experts suggest several possible causes for the engine fire. A former federal crash investigator explained that it could have been triggered by the engine partially detaching, ripping fuel lines, or by a fuel leak igniting during takeoff. The crash has been compared to a 1979 incident at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, where a left engine fell off an American Airlines DC-10 due to improper maintenance, highlighting the complexity of investigating mechanical failures on older aircraft.
The airport has since resumed operations with limited capacity, but the surrounding area, including residential neighborhoods and nearby businesses, remains in shock. As the investigation continues, questions remain about maintenance records, flight history, and how such a catastrophic failure could have occurred on one of the busiest cargo hubs in the country.
This tragic accident is a stark reminder of how quickly routine flights can turn disastrous, and the full story behind the crash is still unfolding.
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