Newly released video footage captures the harrowing moment when a UPS plane’s wing ignites just before the aircraft crashed and exploded in a fatal fireball. The UPS plane, carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel, erupted into flames shortly after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky at 5:15 pm local time. Tragically, seven individuals lost their lives in the crash, including four who were not passengers. Additionally, eleven people sustained injuries, with two in critical condition.
A dramatic video clip taken during take-off reveals the plane’s left wing emitting smoke as it struggles to ascend before abruptly descending and crashing in a blaze. Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas noted that the aircraft seemed to be struggling to gain altitude while a fire blazed on its left side near an engine. Due to the significant fuel load, the fire inevitably led to an explosion or rapid growth. Rojas described the plane as potentially becoming a “bomb” due to the fuel.
Former Department of Transportation inspector general, Mary Schiavo, observed that the engine appeared to detach from the aircraft before the final impact and ensuing fireball. Investigations by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are underway to determine the crash’s cause involving a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F plane.
Following the crash, a fuel recycling business adjacent to the airport sustained a direct hit, while a car parts business was also affected by the wreckage. Firefighters battled the extensive fire throughout the night, establishing a search grid for potential victims. The airport remained closed early Wednesday, with an anticipated delay in reopening.
Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey expressed uncertainty about the timeline for rendering the crash scene safe. Fire chief Brian O’Neill confirmed that the plane triggered secondary explosions upon hitting fuel tanks at the recycling center, causing ruptures in propane and oil storage tanks. O’Neill mentioned the presence of small tank explosions following the incident.
