Aviation News – A UPS MD-11 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and temporarily shutting down operations at the company’s main air cargo hub.
The incident occurred shortly after departure from the Kentucky airport, which serves as the central logistics center for UPS’s global package network. Emergency crews responded quickly as the aircraft exploded on impact, causing a large fire and prompting authorities to close the airport to ensure safety and assess the damage.
The MD-11 model is commonly used in cargo operations worldwide due to its large payload capacity. While the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, officials noted that the aircraft encountered an emergency situation shortly after liftoff. The incident has disrupted shipping operations and may cause delays as rerouting plans are put in place.
MD-11 Hull-Loss / Fatal / Significant Crash History
31 Jul 1992 China Eastern Flight 583 (Passenger) Pacific Ocean (near Shemya, Alaska) Cruise 2 fatalities (133 injured) Slats deployed unintentionally, severe oscillations, no structural breakup; aircraft later written off due to damage.
24 Sep 1994 Federal Express Flight 705 (Cargo) Memphis, USA Landing 0 Aircraft destroyed by fire after gear collapse; cause: attempted hijacking and crew struggle.
31 Jul 1997 FedEx Cargo Newark, USA Landing 0 Hard landing, bounced, caught fire and destroyed.
2 Sep 1998 Swissair Flight 111 (Passenger) Off Halifax, Canada En-route 229 deaths In-flight electrical fire; one of the most notable MD-11 accidents.
15 Apr 1999 Korean Air Cargo Flight 6316 Shanghai, China Climb 8 deaths (3 crew + 5 ground) Crew altitude misinterpretation leading to loss of control.
22 Aug 1999 China Airlines Flight 642 (Passenger) Hong Kong Landing 3 deaths Hard landing in typhoon conditions; aircraft overturned.
31 Oct 2000 FedEx Cargo Subic Bay, Philippines Landing 0 Overran runway and was destroyed.
14 Feb 2002 China Airlines Cargo Cargo Hong Kong Climb 5 deaths Elevator control failure leading to in-flight breakup.
28 Nov 2002 Tatarstan Air Company (ex-Saudi MD-11) Cargo Shanghai, China Landing 0 Heavy landing and fire; aircraft written off.
3 Feb 2006 Lufthansa Cargo Cargo Mexico City, Mexico Landing 0 Gear collapse on touchdown; destroyed by fire.
23 Mar 2009 FedEx Flight 80 (Cargo) Tokyo Narita, Japan Landing 2 deaths Hard landing during gusty crosswind; bounced and overturned.
28 Jul 2011 Asiana Cargo Flight 991 Off Jeju, South Korea En-route 2 deaths Onboard cargo fire → loss of control into sea.
