(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Authorities are investigating a deadly cargo plane accident that occurred Tuesday near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, resulting in multiple fatalities and widespread damage across a debris zone spanning approximately half a mile.
Emergency officials have confirmed 11 deaths, including one child, with 15 individuals injured and 16 people still missing. Officials caution that casualty numbers may change as search and rescue operations continue.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the aircraft experienced a critical malfunction during its takeoff sequence when the left wing ignited and the left engine separated from the plane. Investigators have not yet identified the cause of the mechanical failure. Both flight recorders have been retrieved from the wreckage and are being analyzed.
Gov. Andy Beshear has issued an emergency declaration for the state, activating National Guard personnel and expediting access to state resources. The declaration enables rapid deployment of disaster response funding and support for agencies with limited budgets.
Service Disruptions and Safety Concerns
Louisville Gas & Electric has temporarily shut down electrical service to roughly 290 customers and isolated gas lines affecting more than 90 residents near the crash zone as a precautionary measure.
State officials have advised residents in the immediate vicinity of the crash site to refrain from consuming tap water until further testing is completed. However, Beshear emphasized that residents in other Louisville neighborhoods face no elevated risk.
“The air quality remains normal, and water supplies are safe throughout most of the metro area,” the governor stated Wednesday.
A shelter-in-place order has been scaled back to a quarter-mile perimeter around the city’s hazardous waste facility at 7501 Grade Lane.
Airport and Shipping Operations
The airport has reopened for commercial flights on a restricted basis, operating with a single runway. Significant delays persist due to Tuesday evening’s backlog.
UPS suspended operations at its Worldport hub Tuesday and discontinued Next Day Air service. Limited cargo flight activity resumed Wednesday. Company officials confirmed no hazardous cargo was aboard the crashed aircraft, though emergency crews are addressing hazardous materials at affected businesses near the impact zone.
The NTSB is leading the investigation and will serve as the primary information source as the inquiry progresses.
Flags to Half-Staff
Gov. Andy Beshear ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff through sunset on Sunday, Nov. 9, in honor of the Kentuckians lost because of the catastrophic plane crash near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Tuesday afternoon.
Flags across the commonwealth are already at half-staff in honor and remembrance of former Gov. Martha Layne Collins and former Vice President Dick Cheney. Gov. Beshear encourages individuals, businesses and organizations throughout Kentucky to join in this tribute to plane crash victims as well.
PHOTO ABOVE-Courtesy of Hamproductions – UPS N259UP, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in March 2025
