The death toll from Tuesday’s crash of a UPS MD-11 cargo jet near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport has risen to nine,
According to city and state officials. The aircraft erupted into flames moments after takeoff around 5:13 p.m. ET, crashing into an industrial area and igniting several buildings.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrived Wednesday to determine the cause of the crash, with early focus on a possible engine failure. UPS confirmed all three crew members aboard the 34-year-old aircraft were killed. Officials said 11 people were hospitalized and at least 10 others remain unaccounted for.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the crash as narrowly avoiding greater tragedy, noting the plane “barely missed a restaurant and a large Ford plant” as well as a convention center hosting a major livestock show.
The Louisville airport reopened Wednesday morning, though the affected runway will remain closed for about 10 days. UPS has suspended operations at its sorting facility at the airport.
Aviation expert Anthony Brickhouse said there was no evidence linking the crash to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown that has disrupted air traffic control. He added investigators would analyze the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, focusing on the No. 1 engine, which appeared to ignite and detach during takeoff.
The plane was en route to Honolulu for an eight-and-a-half-hour flight. This is UPS’s first fatal cargo aircraft crash since 2013, when a UPS Airbus went down in Birmingham, Alabama, killing both crew members.
