Author Topic: Louisville, KY plane crash was an outbound UPS flight to Honolulu (Read 1509 times)

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🚨#BREAKING: The Kentucky’s governor has announced that at least three people have been killed and 11 others injured in the Louisville plane crash. He also warned that the death toll is expected to rise as emergency crews continue search and rescue operations.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2025, 07:58:50 pm »

https://twitter.com/RoushKSR/status/1985842457905340586

mystery-ak · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2025, 08:03:20 pm »

https://twitter.com/intelFromBrian/status/1985859926573416683

Polly Ticks · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2025, 08:41:39 pm »

Quote from: Smokin Joe on November 04, 2025, 06:50:54 pm

Full fuel load for Hawaii? That explains the extent of the fires.

It crashed into a petroleum recycling facility.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2025, 08:46:17 pm »

wow

https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1985882475940413601

Lando Lincoln · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2025, 08:53:09 pm »

Good grief. A petroleum recycling facility at the end of a runway? Is that right?

Timber Rattler · « **Reply #17 on:** November 05, 2025, 06:56:55 am »

I watched the video and (just retired) Captain Steeve's analysis of the crash. The plane's Number 1 engine caught fire and fell off after it passed the "V1" point of no return during take-off. It was flying from Louisville to Honolulu and carrying 17 tons of fuel, and plowed into a petroleum recycling plant. Hence the huge fireball and mile-long path of destruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4q2ORhIQQc

mountaineer · « **Reply #18 on:** November 05, 2025, 07:45:42 am »

I had a meeting at church last night, and someone mentioned the crash. Another attendee, retired Army helicopter pilot, was clearly shaken, saying he has a friend who flies for UPS out of Louisville. I'm sure he wouldn't rest until he made contact with him.

So many people affected. Apparently, just about everyone in Louisville knows someone who works for UPS.

Polly Ticks · « **Reply #19 on:** November 05, 2025, 07:54:14 am »

Quote from: mountaineer on November 05, 2025, 07:45:42 am

I had a meeting at church last night, and someone mentioned the crash. Another attendee, retired Army helicopter pilot, was clearly shaken, saying he has a friend who flies for UPS out of Louisville. I'm sure he wouldn't rest until he made contact with him.

So many people affected. Apparently, just about everyone in Louisville knows someone who works for UPS.

Yes, we do.
We've heard from a couple of our pilot friends and they are safe. One of them works in the MD11 fleet, though, so it was some of his teammates on that flight. It is heartbreaking.

txradioguy · « **Reply #20 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:12:38 am »

From my newscast this morning...

Quote

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive this morning to survey the scene and try to piece together what happened to UPS flight 2976 after it crashed on takeoff yesterday from Louisville Muhammed Ali International airport bound for Hawaii...an update this morning from officials say that 9 people are now confirmed dead with 11 injured and 16 missing...video from a passenger on a plane that just landed shows the Boeing MD-11 on fire as it struggled to lift off before hitting the top of a building and crashing into an auto parts yard and petroleum recycling facility...the jet fuel causing a massive fireball that could be seen for miles and was picked up on WLKY's doppler weather radar...

The MD-11 freighter...a modernized version of the venerable DC-10 wide body passenger jet...had its last fatal crash 16 years ago...so far 9 people are dead including the three crew members on the jet...11 people were wounded...Governor Andy Beshear says that 16 families have reported loved ones that are unaccounted for...the names of those killed have not yet been released...

txradioguy · « **Reply #21 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:21:17 am »

txradioguy · « **Reply #22 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:22:03 am »

txradioguy · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:23:08 am »

The aircraft involved was N259UP, a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, first flown in 1991 and delivered as a passenger plane to Thai Airways International. Later converted to a cargo plane, it was delivered to UPS Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Parcel Service (UPS), in 2006.

Wingnut · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:25:30 am »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3lXl9yfISM

txradioguy · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:33:35 am »

PlaneSpotters.net is reporting that the left side engine separated from the pylon starting the fire that caused the crash.

Wingnut · « **Reply #26 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:45:12 am »

I always hated flying on the DC-10's. Never could shake the O'hare crash back in 79 or so. And the MD-11 is pretty much the same plane.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #27 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:53:31 am »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ZIG5EJA8U

Timber Rattler · « **Reply #28 on:** November 05, 2025, 10:26:02 am »

Quote from: txradioguy on November 05, 2025, 09:33:35 am

PlaneSpotters.net is reporting that the left side engine separated from the pylon starting the fire that caused the crash.

Very similar to what happened to Flight 191 in 1979 at O'Hare airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qKVaq0rrkU

txradioguy · « **Reply #29 on:** November 05, 2025, 10:48:05 am »

Per USA Today...The last major plane crash at the (Louisville) airport occurred Sept. 28, 1953, when a C-46 carrying soldiers from Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, to Fort Knox, crashed upon landing. The plane was one of five operated by Resort Airlines and chartered by the U.S. Army.

txradioguy · « **Reply #30 on:** November 05, 2025, 10:48:51 am »

Quote from: Timber Rattler on November 05, 2025, 10:26:02 am

Very similar to what happened to Flight 191 in 1979 at O'Hare airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qKVaq0rrkU

Yeah they somehow managed to get that one airborne.

txradioguy · « **Reply #31 on:** November 05, 2025, 10:57:46 am »

According to initial flight tracking data, the aircraft, heading south on runway 17R, reached a maximum altitude of 175 feet above ground level, and the highest recorded ground speed received was 214 mph...the building it struck after it got airborne was one of the UPS warehouses

GtHawk · « **Reply #32 on:** November 05, 2025, 11:34:55 am »

Quote from: Wingnut on November 05, 2025, 09:45:12 am

I always hated flying on the DC-10's. Never could shake the O'hare crash back in 79 or so. And the MD-11 is pretty much the same plane.

I was supposed to fly on one to go from California to Hamburger U. in Elk Grove Illinois….so O’hare, about a week after the crash, needless to say I went on a different aircraft which.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #33 on:** November 05, 2025, 11:47:46 am »

https://twitter.com/JLRINVESTIGATES/status/1986089900610072952

Wingnut · « **Reply #34 on:** November 05, 2025, 11:52:14 am »

Quote from: GtHawk on November 05, 2025, 11:34:55 am

I was supposed to fly on one to go from California to Hamburger U. in Elk Grove Illinois….so O’hare, about a week after the crash, needless to say I went on a different aircraft which.

I had just started my 1st job fresh out of college in 79 and I was flying out of O'hare every week on Mon or Tuesday and back on Fridays. Mostly on AA. I believe that DC-10 did crash in Elk Grove Village.

Coach seating was 2-5-2 with a video screen mounted on the wall in front of the 5 row seats. AA would project the planes TO on those screens. Can you imagine watching yourself crash. I heard they stopped showing TO's after taht.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #35 on:** November 05, 2025, 09:13:35 pm »

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1986254239921021042

https://twitter.com/AZ_Intel_/status/1985929819117289852

Polly Ticks · « **Reply #36 on:** November 06, 2025, 08:21:26 am »

Governor: 12 dead in UPS plane crash; NTSB says engine ‘detached’ from jet during takeoff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said that an engine detached from the UPS jet involved in the deadly Nov. 4, 2025 crash.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear said an 11th person has died and that one of the victims is a child. Later, Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed a 12th person has died.

Spokesperson Todd Inman also said the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been recovered. Inman said both of the so-called ‘Black Boxes" suffered from heat but did not sustain intrusion from the crash or the resulting fire.

https://www.wave3.com/2025/11/05/governor-12-dead-ups-plane-crash-ntsb-says-engine-detached-jet-during-takeoff/

txradioguy · « **Reply #37 on:** November 06, 2025, 09:15:46 am »

Quote from: Polly Ticks on November 06, 2025, 08:21:26 am

Governor: 12 dead in UPS plane crash; NTSB says engine ‘detached’ from jet during takeoff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said that an engine detached from the UPS jet involved in the deadly Nov. 4, 2025 crash.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear said an 11th person has died and that one of the victims is a child. Later, Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed a 12th person has died.

Spokesperson Todd Inman also said the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been recovered. Inman said both of the so-called ‘Black Boxes" suffered from heat but did not sustain intrusion from the crash or the resulting fire.

https://www.wave3.com/2025/11/05/governor-12-dead-ups-plane-crash-ntsb-says-engine-detached-jet-during-takeoff/

The plane had just come back from 6 weeks of maintenance in San Antonio and there was a 2 hour delay in the plane taking off Tuesday for a maintenance issue.

Timber Rattler · « **Reply #38 on:** November 06, 2025, 09:51:52 am »

Quote from: txradioguy on November 06, 2025, 09:15:46 am

The plane had just come back from 6 weeks of maintenance in San Antonio and there was a 2 hour delay in the plane taking off Tuesday for a maintenance issue.

And that's exactly where the NTSB investigators are going to be looking.

txradioguy · « **Reply #39 on:** November 06, 2025, 11:45:33 am »

Quote from: Timber Rattler on November 06, 2025, 09:51:52 am

And that's exactly where the NTSB investigators are going to be looking.

Yup there in San Antonio and the mechanics who looked at the plane during the 2 hour maintenance hold it went through prior to take off.

They will interview every mechanic that turned a wrench on that airframe.

txradioguy · « **Reply #40 on:** November 07, 2025, 11:37:40 am »

I'm reading the transcript of an interview on of our hosts Terry Meiners did with a pilot/attorney yesterday on his show and he believes from some of the video it looks like as the left engine was coming apart on the UPS plane...pieces got sucked through the engine mounted on the tail...damaging it as well.

If that's true they never had a chance from what I know of getting that beast airborne. They could have done it with two engines working...but not with two engines out and fully loaded with cargo and fuel.

txradioguy · « **Reply #41 on:** November 20, 2025, 11:36:42 am »

The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the crash of UPS Flight 2976.

https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf

Smokin Joe · « **Reply #42 on:** November 20, 2025, 11:46:44 am »

Quote from: txradioguy on November 20, 2025, 11:36:42 am

The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the crash of UPS Flight 2976.

https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf

Thanks. It's amazing how little holds a plane together sometimes...and how badly things go when that breaks.

txradioguy · « **Reply #43 on:** November 20, 2025, 12:14:17 pm »

Quote from: Smokin Joe on November 20, 2025, 11:46:44 am

Thanks. It's amazing how little holds a plane together sometimes...and how badly things go when that breaks.

I'm always surprised how relatively small some of the bolts and other connections are in relation to what they are holding up.

From the stills from the security cameras on the airport...it looks like the engine separated in a similar manner as the #1 engine on the American Airlines Flight 191 in 1979 at Chicago O'Hare airport.

Timber Rattler · « **Reply #44 on:** November 20, 2025, 12:31:51 pm »

Quote

The left pylon aft mount's forward and aft lugs were both found fractured near their 2 o'clock (inboard fracture) and 9 o'clock (outboard fracture) positions when in the aft-looking-forward frame of reference (see figure 7). The fractured and separated upper portions of the forward and aft lugs were found adjacent to runway 17R. The left wing clevis, aft mount spherical bearing, and aft mount attachment hardware were found with a portion of the left wing at the accident site. The bolt, spherical bearing, and associated hardware remained attached to the wing clevis. The spherical bearing outer race had fractured circumferentially, exposing the ball element (see figure 8).

(snip)

After initial cleaning of the fracture surfaces, examination of the left pylon aft mount lug fractures found evidence of fatigue cracks in addition to areas of overstress failure. On the aft lug, on both the inboard and outboard fracture surfaces, a fatigue crack was observed where the aft lug bore met the aft lug forward face. For the forward lug's inboard fracture surface, fatigue cracks were observed along the lug bore. For the forward lug's outboard fracture surface, the fracture consisted entirely of overstress with no indications of fatigue cracking. The forward top flange of the aft mount assembly was examined for indications of deformation or pre-existing fractures, but no indications were found. The spherical bearing was removed from the wing clevis for further evaluation

Metal fatigue in the left engine pylon.

Wingnut · « **Reply #45 on:** November 20, 2025, 12:40:14 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on November 20, 2025, 12:14:17 pm

I'm always surprised how relatively small some of the bolts and other connections are in relation to what they are holding up.

They work great, until they don't.

Cyber Liberty · « **Reply #46 on:** November 20, 2025, 12:42:34 pm »

Quote from: Timber Rattler on November 20, 2025, 12:31:51 pm

Metal fatigue in the left engine pylon.

And it was overlooked in the extensive maintenance just performed prior to this flight. That is probably where this investigation goes from here. How did the metal fatigue go unnoticed?

txradioguy · « **Reply #47 on:** November 20, 2025, 12:55:45 pm »

Quote from: Timber Rattler on November 20, 2025, 12:31:51 pm

Metal fatigue in the left engine pylon.

Yeah with a plane with that many flight hours and cycles I'm not surprised. But it appears it passed its last inspection of the critical areas of the pylons.

The plane had over 92K flight hours and 21K cycles.

1 cycle = 1 takeoff and landing.

Cyber Liberty · « **Reply #48 on:** November 20, 2025, 01:00:58 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on November 20, 2025, 12:55:45 pm

Yeah with a plane with that many flight hours and cycles I'm not surprised. But it appears it passed its last inspection of the critical areas of the pylons.

The plane had over 92K flight hours and 21K cycles.

1 cycle = 1 takeoff and landing.

21K cycles, and not due for an overhaul until 29K cycles. There's a lot of 'splaining to do.

txradioguy · « **Reply #49 on:** November 21, 2025, 05:43:27 am »

Quote from: Cyber Liberty on November 20, 2025, 01:00:58 pm

21K cycles, and not due for an overhaul until 29K cycles. There's a lot of 'splaining to do.

Indeed there will be. I imagine there will be some changes at the FAA on time between inspections as well as UPS speeding up the process of retiring their remaining 26 MD-11's.