At least seven people have reportedly died after a UPS cargo aircraft ran off the runway and burst into flames at Louisville International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday.
Various reports state that the burning aircraft, operated by US delivery company UPS, struck several buildings when it crashed mid-takeoff.
UPS confirmed last night that one of its MD-11 aircraft, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, with three crewmembers onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville at approximately 5:20pm eastern time on Tuesday 4 November.
It said last night that the cause of the accident remained unclear, noting: “We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts. As a result of the accident, we are halting package sorting operations tonight at Worldport.”
Various reports state that the aircraft crashed during takeoff, skidding off the runway and striking nearby buildings.
Unverified footage of the incident shows the plane was already engulfed in flames when it careered off the runway, the BBC said. According to the BBC, the state’s governor Andy Beshear said the aircraft burst into flames and at least two nearby businesses were hit by the wreckage, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling was struck “pretty directly”, Beshear said, with a second business – Grade A Auto Parts – also impacted.
The airport said all scheduled departing flights on 4 November had been cancelled following the incident, and delays and cancellations were likely on 5 November.
But it said last night that “the airfield is expected to be available for passenger and cargo operations” on 5 November.
UPS said: “We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved. UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.”
