Lead: Federal investigators began recovering and analyzing the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder after a UPS cargo aircraft crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4, 2025. The accident created roughly a half-mile debris field and ignited a large fire that destroyed nearby property and killed at least 13 people. Officials say the left engine detached and a fire broke out along the plane’s left side as it rolled for takeoff; the black boxes were flown to N.T.S.B. laboratories in Washington for extraction. Families and first responders continue recovery and identification work while the airport resumed operations.
Key Takeaways
- At least 13 people were killed in the crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4, 2025; remains of 12 victims were recovered and removed from the site by local authorities.
- Three UPS crew members were aboard and have been identified by UPS as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt and Captain Dana Diamond.
- Fifteen people were transported to University of Louisville hospitals after the accident; one of those patients died on Thursday, one remained critical and 13 were discharged the previous day.
- Investigators found pieces of the left engine and fan blades on the tarmac; the N.T.S.B. reported that the left engine separated as the aircraft rolled for takeoff.
- The aircraft was bound for Honolulu and carried about 38,000 gallons of jet fuel, according to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
- Wreckage and scorched material extended about a half-mile from the runway and struck a business identified as Grade A Auto Parts and a petroleum recycling facility; several other large facilities were narrowly missed.
- The voice and flight data recorders were recovered, transported to the N.T.S.B. laboratory in Washington and yielded what investigators described as a strong extraction of usable data points.
- The N.T.S.B. cautioned that a full inquiry will take months and that early data do not yet determine a probable cause.
Background
Louisville is home to one of the world’s busiest air cargo hubs; UPS operates its largest air-sorting facility, Worldport, at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The concentration of heavy cargo operations and overnight sortie schedules makes the airport strategically vital to UPS and the local economy. Aviation-safety authorities have long monitored cargo operations for maintenance, weight-and-balance, and engine-inspection practices because cargo aircraft operate with different loading and duty patterns than passenger flights.
Recent years have seen a small number of high-profile cargo accidents worldwide that prompted closer scrutiny of engine integrity, maintenance intervals and inspection reporting. The National Transportation Safety Board (N.T.S.B.) leads U.S. crash probes that involve onboard systems, wreckage patterns and operational records; its investigations commonly require months of laboratory analysis and on-scene reconstruction. Local agencies, state emergency managers and company investigators typically work in parallel with the N.T.S.B. and provide victim identification and site remediation.
Main Event
The UPS cargo jet crashed shortly after beginning its takeoff roll on the evening of Nov. 4, 2025, according to federal and local officials. Witnesses and officials described flames along the left side of the aircraft while it was still on the runway; debris from the left engine was later located on the tarmac and in the debris field. The aircraft crossed and destroyed nearby property as it came down, including an auto parts business and a petroleum recycling facility, leaving scorched soil and damaged structures over roughly a half-mile stretch.
Local officials reported that first responders found a chaotic scene of fire and wreckage that required coordinated firefighting and recovery efforts. Mayor Craig Greenberg visited the site and described seeing the plane’s tail fin protruding from a storage silo; he said the intensity of the blaze rapidly produced a wide debris field. Emergency medical crews transported 15 people to University of Louisville hospitals; hospital officials later said one of those patients died and another remained in critical condition.
Federal investigators said the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered from the wreckage and flown to the N.T.S.B. laboratory in Washington for detailed analysis. A member of the N.T.S.B., Todd Inman, told reporters the recorders produced a good extraction and that downloaded data were being assessed for clues about the aircraft’s performance and crew communications prior to the accident. N.T.S.B. on-site teams continued mapping wreckage and collecting components that may reveal mechanical separation or fire timeline.
Analysis & Implications
The separation of a major engine and an in-flight or ground fire are both high-priority investigative leads because they affect sequence and survivability. If the left engine detached during the takeoff roll, investigators will examine maintenance records, recent engine shop visits, inspection tags and recorded parameters to determine whether pre-existing mechanical failure, foreign-object damage, or structural fatigue played a role. The voice and data recorders will be central to establishing a timeline for warnings, crew actions and systems anomalies.
Because the aircraft was loaded with roughly 38,000 gallons of jet fuel, the potential for fire propagation and collateral damage was significant; investigators and environmental responders will also evaluate fuel dispersal, local air-quality impacts and contamination of soil or nearby water. Damage to the petroleum recycling facility and Grade A Auto Parts raises supplementary inquiries about industrial-safety interactions near airport boundaries and whether zoning or buffer protections were adequate.
The human toll and disruption to Louisville’s cargo hub underscore economic and supply-chain implications beyond immediate recovery. Worldport handles a large share of UPS’s global air cargo; temporary operational constraints, worker trauma and public scrutiny could prompt operational audits. Regulators may review inspection cycles and emergency-response coordination at cargo hubs nationwide, particularly if mechanical or maintenance lapses are implicated.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | This Incident (Nov. 4, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Debris field | About 0.5 mile |
| Fuel aboard | ~38,000 gallons |
| Fatalities | At least 13 |
| People taken to hospital | 15 (1 later died; 1 critical; 13 discharged) |
| Named crew | Captain Richard Wartenberg; First Officer Lee Truitt; Captain Dana Diamond |
| Structures struck | Grade A Auto Parts; petroleum recycling facility |
The table summarizes measured on-scene statistics that investigators have released publicly. These metrics—debris extent, fuel load and human casualties—will be cross-referenced with flight-data parameters, maintenance logs and witness reports as the N.T.S.B. reconstructs the event timeline.
Reactions & Quotes
Local officials, company representatives and affected families expressed grief and an immediate demand for answers as recovery continued.
“This was worse than the movies.”
Craig Greenberg, Mayor of Louisville
Mayor Greenberg, speaking after visiting the scene, described seeing the aircraft tail embedded in a storage silo and emphasized the rapid intensity of the blaze and the scale of the wreckage.
“A good extraction with good data points.”
Todd Inman, N.T.S.B. member
Todd Inman characterized the initial recovery of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders as yielding usable information, but he reiterated that establishing a probable cause will require months of laboratory analysis and corroborating evidence.
Families are “shocked, angry, heartbroken, confused and worried.”
Sean Garber, CEO, Grade A Auto Parts
Sean Garber, whose company was struck in the crash, said he has been with families of missing employees and described the emotional and practical toll on workers and their loved ones.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the left-engine detachment initiated the fire or whether a separate inboard fire preceded structural failure remains unconfirmed and under technical analysis.
- Full identities for all victims and the precise count of ground fatalities versus onboard fatalities have not been publicly confirmed pending coroner reports and family notifications.
- The role, if any, of recent maintenance actions or deferred repairs on the aircraft is not yet established; formal records review is ongoing.
Bottom Line
The crash outside Louisville is both an acute public-safety tragedy and an unfolding technical investigation. Early evidence—engine components located on the tarmac, fire damage concentrated on the left side, and recoverable recorder data—gives investigators concrete leads but not yet a definitive cause. Families and local responders remain focused on identification, recovery and community support as N.T.S.B. teams reconstruct the sequence of events.
Over the coming months, expect the N.T.S.B. to publish factual reports that detail wreckage mapping, recorder downloads and metallurgical analysis; regulators and industry partners may also scrutinize maintenance practices and airport-area industrial siting. For communities and the cargo industry alike, the immediate priorities are thorough technical review, transparent communication with families, and mitigation of environmental and operational impacts stemming from the crash.
Sources
- The New York Times — news report with on-scene reporting and local official statements (media).
- National Transportation Safety Board (N.T.S.B.) — official investigation authority and laboratory processing (official).
- UPS Newsroom — company statement identifying crew and responding to the accident (corporate).
- Office of Governor Andy Beshear — state official statements regarding fuel load and affected properties (official).
- University of Louisville Health — hospital system updates on patients brought in after the crash (medical).