At least seven people were killed and several others injured after a UPS plane crashed shortly after takeoff near the Louisville International Airport on Tuesday, officials said.
The number of fatalities is expected to increase, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote on social media Tuesday night. At least 11 people were injured, officials said earlier.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed at a news conference Tuesday night that at least four people had been killed on the ground.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time after it departed from the Louisville airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it went down three miles south of the airfield, Louisville airport public safety officer Jonathan Biven said at a news conference.
Beshear said there was no hazardous cargo onboard the plane that would create environmental issues around the crash site, but urged residents to follow any shelter-in-place orders.
The Louisville Metro Police Department described the scene as active with "fire and debris," warning residents to stay away from Fern Valley and Grade Lane, an intersection located on the south side of the airport, which serves as the hub of UPS. More than 100 firefighters responded to the crash and were still battling hot spots as of Tuesday night, Greenberg said. Louisville Fire Chief Brian O'Neill noted the fire was "almost entirely contained."
O'Neill said the fire had been extinguished enough to allow a formal grid search for any possible victims in the area.
Videos of the crash showed the aircraft partially on fire as it sped down the runway before it burst into flames.
Aerial footage shows the aftermath of a plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, Nov. 4, 2025. WLKY-TV
A shelter-in-place order has been reduced to a one-mile radius of the crash site, authorities said. The police department also urged those in the area to turn off any air intake systems as soon as possible due to the smoke in the area.
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