Aircraft Engine Removed In Air: Cargo UPS Crashes And Explodes In Louisville, 11 People Died

The plane engine that crashed before the UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky, United States (@aviationbrk)

JAKARTA At least 11 people died after the UPS cargo plane caught fire and lost one of the engines while taking off from Louisville International Airport Muhammad Ali, Kentucky, United States, Tuesday, November 5 evening local time.

The UPS Flight 2976 flight number was scheduled to fly to Honolulu, but crashed moments after takeoff. The National Transportation Safety Agency (NTSB) stated CCTV footage showed the plane's left engine detached from the wing just after airing.

The plane had risen high enough to pass through the fence at the end of the 17R runway. Shortly thereafter, the plane crashed into a building outside the airport area," said NTSB member Todd Inman as quoted by CBS News, Thursday, November 6.

Authorities have found cockpit voice recorders and flight data that are expected to help investigate the cause of the crash.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the death toll was 11 people, including a child. He praised the alertness of firefighters who managed to withstand large flames due to 38,000 gallons of fuel that caught fire.

"The fire is so big and could be much worse. I thank the extraordinary firefighting team," said Beshear.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft was carrying three crew members, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data. It is not known for sure how many victims were on board or on land.

The head of the Okolona Fire Department, Mark Little, said the crash area was very large, so the search for victims was still ongoing. "Some debris must be moved to ensure no casualties are buried," he said.

At least 16 families reported that their family members had not been found. The University of Louisville Health Hospital received 15 injured victims; 13 of them have been discharged, while two are still critical due to burns and blast debris.

Amateur videos show large fireballs and black smoke rising high at the scene. Congressman Morgan McGarvey described the Louisville atmosphere that night as a "small observer", with flying debris and panicked residents trapped in their homes.

The Kentucky government has declared an emergency status to accelerate the handling and deploy the National Guard.

The owner of the company Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling, Sean Garber, said four of the 18 buildings were destroyed by the explosion. "The explosion was enormous. People ran, shouted, some even jumped out the window due to the heat of the fire," he said.

Areas around the location are subject to a shelter order (shelter-in-place) within a radius of 400 meters. About 135 houses had experienced power outages until Wednesday morning.

Governor Beshear said the Stooges Bar & Grill restaurant, which is 100 meters from the crash site, escaped the crash. It's a small miracle, said Maritime Affairs, a 76-year-old restaurant owner. If the plane falls a little closer, everything will disappear.

Louisville Airport was temporarily closed but reopened Wednesday morning. About 12 percent of flights were canceled and some were delayed.

In his statement, UPS expressed deep condolences for the tragedy. "Our hearts are with all affected parties. The safety of employees, customers, and communities is our priority," the company said.

Louisville is the main center of the global aviation network UPS, with around 400 flights per day and 25,000 employees. The crash became the first fatal incident for UPS since 2013, when the company's cargo plane crashed near Birmingham, Alabama, and killed two pilots.