A devastating scene unfolded at Kentucky's Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, where a UPS cargo plane crash has left a community in mourning.
The horrific incident, which claimed 11 lives on Tuesday, occurred when the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft exploded shortly after takeoff, a disaster now linked to a catastrophic engine failure, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the engine detached during departure, though the precise cause, whether mechanical fault or external factor, remains under scrutiny.
Catastrophic Failure on Takeoff
Dramatic footage and airport CCTV reviewed by investigators captured the chilling moment of failure, with the left engine separating from the wing during the takeoff roll.
"We have viewed airport CCTV security coverage, which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll," NTSB official Todd Inman stated during a Wednesday press briefing, painting a stark picture of the tragedy's origin.
While the plane, bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, briefly gained altitude to clear a fence at the end of runway 17R, it quickly lost control and slammed into structures and terrain just off airport property.
Impact and Immediate Aftermath
A massive post-impact fire spread across nearly half a mile, consuming everything in its path and complicating rescue efforts.
Terrifying social media videos and dashcam footage revealed a fireball erupting from the left wing during ascent, followed by the aircraft's violent crash back onto the runway.
The destruction extended beyond the airport, striking two local businesses, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Autoparts, where most employees were accounted for, though two were initially missing, according to Governor Beshear.
Grim Toll and Community Response
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed the heartbreaking rise in the death toll to 11 on Wednesday, underscoring the scale of loss felt across the city.
"First responders are on the scene now that it's daylight again," Greenberg told CNN, adding that the coroner had worked through the night alongside arriving NTSB investigators to piece together this tragedy.
Of the victims, three were crew members aboard the 34-year-old aircraft, which had undergone fuel tank repairs as recently as September, while four confirmed deaths occurred on the ground, per Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill.
Questions and Recovery Ahead
As the airport began resuming operations Wednesday morning, prioritizing flights canceled on Tuesday, the weight of unanswered questions lingers over this disaster.
With some Wednesday flights still grounded, the focus shifts to supporting a grieving community and determining why an engine detachment led to such catastrophic loss.
This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the risks tied to aging aircraft and the urgent need for rigorous safety checks, lest we allow mechanical failures to steal more lives from hardworking folks on the ground and in the air.
