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At around 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, a UPS cargo plane bound for Honolulu skidded off the runway at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing at least nine people and injuring 11 others.
The incident marks the deadliest accident in UPS history, and the explosion sent a tall plume of smoke visible for miles. Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said the crash was an “unbelievable mass casualty case,” and it took crews several hours to bring the fire under control.
Here’s what you need to know.
How many people died in the UPS plane crash?
At least nine people were killed when a UPS flight crashed near Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport Wednesday morning, Nov. 5.
How many people were injured in the Kentucky UPS plane crash?
Gov. Andy Beshear said earlier that at least 11 people were injured and the number could rise as search and rescue efforts continued.
Ten patients are being treated at UofL Hospital, two are in critical condition. The rest’s injuries are not life-threatening, spokesman David McArthur said in an email to The Courier Journal.
How much is missing? About the search for the plane crash site
Beshear announced Wednesday morning that 16 people were still missing after a “significant search and rescue mission” last night. Rescue work continues.
“It’s going to be a tough day for Kentucky after yesterday’s fatal plane crash,” Beshear said.
Greenberg said in a post on X that the search is expected to “take some time” because it covers “a very large area.” More than 200 first responders were on the scene last night, he said.
How many people were on the UPS plane in Louisville?
Three crew members were on UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville to Honolulu. The plane was an MD-11.
Are Schools Closed After Kentucky UPS Plane Crash?
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, Jefferson County Public Schools closed for the first time in the 2025-2026 school year.
“Due to the mandatory shelter-in-place order issued by the city following tonight’s tragic plane crash, all JCPS schools will be closed … on November 5th,” JCPS spokeswoman Carolyn Callahan said in a statement. “It will work like a snow day without any online instructions.
All after-school activities have also been canceled, Callahan said, and district officials will test air and water quality at all schools near the crash site.
JCPS: JCPS cancels Wednesday classes after UPS plane crash
Where are the shelters in Louisville?
The shelter-in-place order, originally set for a five-mile radius around the airport, was revised to include areas north of the airport to the Ohio River.
An emergency alert from the city advised residents to “shut down all air intake systems as soon as possible.”
Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 a.m., according to Louisville Metro Emergency Services record X.
Map of the UPS plane crash
Beshear said two companies were directly affected by the crash: Kentucky Refinery and Class A Auto Parts.
Have UPS planes crashed in Louisville before?
The crash on Tuesday, November 4, marks the deadliest plane crash since UPS Airlines was founded in 1988. Prior to the Louisville crash, UPS Airlines had experienced two fatal crashes, both resulting in two deaths.
The first occurred near Dubai in 2010, and another occurred near Birmingham, Alabama in 2013.
Who is investigating the Kentucky UPS plane crash?
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, according to a UPS statement.
Is Louisville Airport open?
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is open, but flight delays and cancellations are expected Wednesday, Nov. 5.
What roads are closed due to the UPS plane crash?
According to social media posts from the Kentucky Department of Transportation, local law enforcement agencies are closing I-65 northbound and southbound and southbound ramps to/from KY 1747 (Fern Valley Road), and KY 1065 (Outer Loop) is closed from Grade Lane to the KY 1065/Iu-6 interchan.
At that time, there were no reported impacts to the main lines of I-65 and I-264 (Watterson Expressway). Learn more from The Courier Journal.
Courier Journal and Midwest Connect reporters Connor Giffin, Caroline Neal, Krista Johnson and Katie Wiseman contributed. Contact Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: UPS plane crash in Kentucky: At least nine dead, 11 injured in Louisville