Timeline: Flight Data Depicts UPS Cargo Jet’s Final Minutes Before Fatal KY Crash
As of Wednesday morning, at least 12 people have died following the crash at Louisville’s airport. The UPS cargo plane crash that occurred late Tuesday afternoon claimed these lives and injured several others.
The flight was a regularly scheduled UPS cargo service to Honolulu, operated three times a week, according to public aviation data. The aircraft involved was a wide-body, tri-engine McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.
Flight Details
- The jet arrived from Baltimore Tuesday morning.
- It was scheduled to depart Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at 3 p.m.
- Flight tracking data from Flightradar24.com shows that the plane did not begin moving down the runway until about 5:08 p.m.
- The cause of the two-hour delay remains unknown.
Final Moments of the Flight
Videos from the scene captured the aircraft speeding down Louisville’s longest runway with its No. 1 left wing-mounted engine on fire.
According to Flightradar24 data, seconds after takeoff and climbing only about 175 feet, the jet began veering toward an industrial park south of the airport.
The plane then crashed into nearby buildings and exploded.
First responders quickly arrived to control the blaze caused by the aircraft, which was carrying 38,000 gallons of jet fuel.
This story was originally published on November 5, 2025, at 1:14 PM.
Author’s Summary
The UPS cargo jet crash at Louisville airport resulted in at least 12 fatalities, with flight data revealing a two-hour delay before the fire-damaged plane crashed shortly after takeoff.