Fiery UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville airport leaves 12 dead, 16 missing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- At least 12 people are dead and 16 missing after a fiery crash of a UPS cargo plane near Louisville's airport Tuesday afternoon.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, built in 1991, went down around 5:15 p.m. after its left wing caught fire. UPS Flight 2976 was fully loaded with fuel for the long flight to Honolulu from UPS Worldport. All three people on board died in the crash.

The death toll and number of injured is expected to go up, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. One of the 12 victims was a young child.

Jefferson County Public Schools said Wednesday that all schools and buildings will open and operate as normal Thursday, Nov. 6.

A JCPS spokesperson said the water and air quality at all schools and buildings were tested. All tests confirmed both are safe for students and safe.

Louisville Metro Government also told JCPS it was safe to reopen schools.

State of emergency and disaster relief fund

At a news conference on Wednesday morning, Beshear said he is declaring a state of emergency to help deal with the impact of the plane crash. He said the declaration would allow the state to allocate resources more quickly to cover expenses and reimbursements for short-term help.

Beshear also said he is reactivating the Team Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund like the one in place for previous disasters, including floods and tornadoes.

"The fund will allow families impacted by the disaster to benefit from the generosity of others," Beshear said. He noted that the first thing the fund pays for is funerals. "In Kentucky, we grieve together. We support each other." For information, click here.

Louisville Metro Police posted a warning on social media that scammers are already taking advantage and are contacting families demanding "thousands of dollars."

Beshear posted on social media Wednesday morning that 16 different families reported loved ones unaccounted for at the reunification center set up t the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy at 2911 Taylor Blvd.

“Thankfully, a local restaurant that is right there ... was missed and now is helping the search and rescue," Beshear said during a news conference Wednesday. "Another blessing is this plane could have potentially hit the major Ford factory or the convention center, those are all close by, and did not.”

Beshear said two businesses south of the airport were hit. He said there were “extra smaller explosions” at Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, but it could have been worse, the governor said. Grade A Auto Parts was also hit.

UofL Health said it received 15 patients at several hospitals and medical centers in its system following the plane crash. By Wednesday morning, 13 of those patients had been discharged. Two remain in critical condition at UofL Health - UofL Hospital downtown, which is the area's only level one trauma center.

Flags were ordered to be half-staffed at all state office buildings through sunset on Sunday, Nov. 9, in honor of the victims.

Videos and pictures of the crash

Videos and pictures continue to come into the WDRB newsroom showing the UPS cargo plane catching fire and crashing along Grade Lane near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane skidded across an area the size of a city block leaving a trail of flames and a huge plume of smoke from the burning jet fuel.

More than 200 first responders from 38 agencies were at the crash scene on Tuesday night including many area police and fire departments along with units from Lexington's Bluegrass Airport and the Kentucky National Guard.

Local News

NTSB says an engine fell off UPS plane before deadly Louisville crash

Paige Thompson

Crash scene and debris field

The Okolona Fire Department is the lead on the local response. Chief Mark Little said his firefighters expect to be at the scene a week or longer looking for victims in a very large debris field.

As for the plane itself, Little said there's not much left. "For the fuselage, we've not seen much of it, to tell you the truth. There's wreckage that starts all the way from almost Fern Valley and does go all the way down past Melton. So there are landing gear that are out there. You would not see a whole fuselage. With the intense fire that was out there, most things are gone including vehicles, semis and the plane."

Little said it's a blessing that the crash wasn't in a heavily populated area. "To be honest with you, we are lucky this is not a residential area. Thank God many of the employees had already left - being that it was after five o'clock, so it could have been more catastrophic for us."

"Louisville looked apocalyptic last night," said Third District U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.). "The image of smoke and debris falling on every neighborhood. This is awful. This is not something you think happens here."

McGarvey called Louisville the "biggest small city in America" noting that everyone knows someone impacted by this tragedy. He promised to bring the full resources of the federal government to get answers to what happened.

He said the NTSB had arrived in Louisville with a team of 28 people on the ground and the support network in Washington, D.C. He said they would analyze every bit of evidence.

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) delivered a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday asking for prayers. "The people of Louisville are grateful for the swift, life-saving efforts of our first responders from local police, fire, and EMS. They can trust in the prayers of their fellow Americans. And I want them to know that their representatives here in Washington are making sure that every federal resource they need is on the ground or headed that way soon."

Louisville's airport reopens

The UPS Worldport facility at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport has some 300 daily flights. The crash on Tuesday closed the airport after UPS Flight 2976 went down.

On Wednesday morning, the airport said on social media that it had reopened one runway. TSA screening was available again for departing passengers, but the Regional Airport Authority did advise "anyone scheduled to depart or arrive at SDF today is encouraged to closely monitor their flight status as delays and cancellations are likely following yesterday's incident."

Louisville Regional Airport Authority executive director Dan Mann said a second runway could reopen soon, but there have been many cancelled flights including 21 on Tuesday and 16 so far on Wednesday. But he added that the TSA was screening passengers and the tower was clearing aircraft.

Crash investigation begins

Federal investigators are taking over the investigation into what caused the crash The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will coordinate with UPS. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation and provide updates.

NTSB board member Todd Inman, who is from Kentucky, will be the on-scene spokesman, as the investigation gets underway. A team of 28 people arrived in Louisville Wednesday to begin sifting through evidence at the crash scene to determine what happened.

Beshear said crews are moving from rescue to recovery mode as they don't expect to find anyone else alive in the area.

Louisville is home to UPS' largest package handling facility, a hub that employs thousands of workers, has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.

"We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville," spokesperson Jim Mayer said in a written statement. "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."

"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." Mayer said in a statement. "We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts."

Water and air quality

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, a shelter-in-place for Louisville was reduced to everything within a 1/4 mile radius of the airport. At one point on Tuesday, that advisory stretched north to the Ohio River from the airport, which is just south of downtown Louisville.

Gov. Beshear also said people in the immediate area of the crash are being advised not to consume water. He emphasized that water in other parts of Louisville is safe and that the city is trying to be careful. The Louisville Water Company said it is working with about 50 customers under a consumer advisory notice. Water for all other customers is safe, according to the Water Company. It also provided additional information for customers with questions.

Residents are being advised not to touch any debris they come across from the cargo plane. Many pictures and videos of envelopes and ash have been shared on social media.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said his office has put together a form where residents can report debris in their yard. Click here.

Support and mental health

Mayor Craig Greenberg stressed that the victim reunification center would be staffed by the Red Cross and Seven Counties to help families looking for loved ones.

He also suggested that people impacted by the crash or that may experience a mental health crisis can utilize the national 988 hotline. Greenberg said counselors are also available through the Office of Violence Prevention at 502-574-6949.

Dare to Care is also available to help JCPS families who may need food for students not at school to be served lunch. Call 502-966-3821 for information.

Kentucky lawmakers propose hands-free law to curb distracted driving

Pizza Hut's future in question as Louisville-based Yum! Brands launches strategic review

'Not sustainable' | Food pantries in Kentucky, Indiana overwhelmed as SNAP benefits stall

Brooks Houck transferred to prison in eastern Kentucky