Two crew members are confirmed dead following an attempted emergency landing of a private jet in the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
The Gulfstream G200 Galaxy departed from La Romana International Airport was en route to pick up former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, along with his family and some friends, from Texas and transport them to Puerto Rico. Shortly after takeoff, however, the crew reported problems on board, returned to the airport, and tried to perform an emergency landing.
“The U.S.-registered aircraft, registered to an executive aviation company, had its two crew members on board: the pilot and co-pilot. No passengers were reported,” the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation said.
The two pilots reportedly described an “engine failure&#8221; and the “loss of power in one engine” in a message to the control tower while requesting an immediate return to the airport. 
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/VzpWbuU5X01tLkajcH4N44VQiVyk7H6cj?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=89bf4828-5b9f-49c7-a87a-8f0cc7f6d2bc&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=WATCH%3A%20Private%20jet%20bursts%20into%20flames%20during%20emergency%20landi&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F23be96a4-3c5d-4f1c-bfd7-b1b1d169f0a6.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
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Molina, a two-time World Series champion and 10-time All-Star, wrote on social media, “My condolences to the pilots and their families. This plane was on its way to pick up me, my family, and friends in Texas to bring us back to Puerto Rico.”
Emergency services were quick to arrive at the scene following the crash. Dominican Republic authorities launched an investigation to determine the cause of engine failure as well as the crash during the emergency landing.

DRPrivateJetCrash

WATCH: Private Jet Bursts Into Flames During Emergency Landing

Airplane

Plane Crash

A video released by authorities on Tuesday shows the left engine of a UPS cargo plane burst off the aircraft in a bright flash as it attempted to take off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport last November.
The newly released footage came as the National Transportation Safety Board started a two-day hearing into the crash, which killed three people on board and 12 people on the ground and injured another 23. Airport surveillance video shows the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane&#8217;s left engine and pylon separating from the wing after the aircraft lifts off the runway during takeoff.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING: The NTSB has released new CCTV footage of UPS Flight 2976, showing the moment the left engine and its pylon detached from the wing during takeoff from Louisville. <a href="https://t.co/kNc0toEslz">https://t.co/kNc0toEslz</a> <a href="https://t.co/oBIeb6zXAR">pic.twitter.com/oBIeb6zXAR</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2056732930974629931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The plane, which was destined for Honolulu, climbed only about 30 feet off the ground before plunging and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/investigators-release-more-photos-of-ups-plane-crash-find-evidence-of-fatigue-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slamming</a> into a scrap metal recycling center in a massive fireball. It was carrying more than 50,000 gallons of fuel, which caused secondary explosions after impact.
During Tuesday&#8217;s hearing, the NTSB released animations showing how fatigue cracks in the pylon connecting the engine to the wing led to a complete fracture, causing the engine to separate from the plane.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="NTSB Animation - Engine-to-Wing Attachment Design Overview and Findings" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iWkLZjJXaos?start=300&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Federal investigators are now examining reporting systems put in place by UPS and Boeing to flag mechanical issues.
When asked about procedures followed when problems are discovered, UPS Airlines Director of Engineering and Technical Operations David Springer told the NTSB, &#8220;It has to be addressed, per the manual or other engineer document. It has to be closed before that aircraft would be considered airworthy.&#8221;
Among those killed in the November crash were 47-year-old Louisnes Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa. The other victims were identified as Capt. Dana Diamond, 62, Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57, First Officer Lee Truitt, 45, Angela Anderson, 45, Carlos Fernandez, 52, Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37, Tony Crain, 65, John Loucks, 52, John Spray, 45, Matthew Sweets, 37, Ella Petty Whorton, 31, Megan Washburn, 35. The 15th victim, Alain Rodriguez Colina, 50, died on Christmas Day, weeks after the crash, after battling severe injuries.
The NTSB hearing is expected to focus on &#8220;fleet safety processes&#8221; on Tuesday, then turn to pylon safety requirements on Wednesday.

UPS Cargo Plane Crashes In Louisville

WATCH: Footage Shows Engine Fly Off UPS Plane Before Crash Killed 15

Louisville

Two Navy jets collided midair during an air show in Idaho on Sunday, forcing all four crew members to eject safely and the base to go on lockdown.
A dramatic video showed two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets colliding during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho. 
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Footage of the mid air collision between a pair of Navy Super Hornets/Growlers during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base moments ago. <a href="https://t.co/yQqPavmSWk">pic.twitter.com/yQqPavmSWk</a>
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/2056086529404260666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
The crash happened at 12:10 p.m. local time in the middle of an aerial demonstration, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/midair-jet-collision-forces-lockdown-idaho-air-force-base-show-rcna345586">according to NBC News.</a> All four crew members ejected by parachute moments before the two jets crashed to the ground and exploded. A photo circulating on social media shows the aftermath of the crash. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
2 E/A-18G Growlers from the VAQ-129 Growler Demo Team are reported to have collided during the Gunfighter Skies Airshow at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho today. Both crews are reported to have ejected safely. <a href="https://t.co/k5SWJ9mz1u">pic.twitter.com/k5SWJ9mz1u</a>
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) <a href="https://twitter.com/thenewarea51/status/2056084549818347533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
The four crew members ejected safely and were &#8220;found safe,&#8221; <a href="https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/northwest/idaho/article315790106.html">according to a local Idaho news outlet. </a>
In a social media post, Mountain Home Air Force Base acknowledged “an aircraft incident” and canceled the remainder of the air show pending an investigation. 
&#8220;Mountain Home Air Force base has canceled the remainder of the air show. At this time, we ask for our guests already on base to remain in the flightline area to allow first responders to move in and out of place to continue securing the area. We are working on a plan to safely allow guests to exit base as soon as possible,&#8221; the statement said. 
Organizers said the popular air show that includes flying demonstrations and parachute jumps is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities.
On Saturday, the base posted photos on Facebook of the air show&#8217;s successful Day 1. 
&#8220;From the first takeoff to the final pass, today was packed with unforgettable moments! And we&#8217;re doing it all again tomorrow&#8230;&#8221;

Blue Angels And Thunderbirds Do Flying Tribute To NYC COVID-19 Frontline Workers

WATCH: Military Jets Collide Midair At Idaho Air Show

Aviation

Idaho

News

A surface radar detection system used by air traffic controllers to monitor movements on runways did not alert before an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Sunday night, a crash that killed both pilots and injured crew members and dozens of passengers.
As authorities continue to investigate the deadly crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday that LaGuardia&#8217;s &#8220;Airport Surface Detection System — Model X&#8221; (ASDE-X) did not alert air traffic controllers before a fire truck <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-video-shows-air-canada-jet-erupting-on-impact-with-fire-truck-at-laguardia">drove onto the runway</a> in front of Air Canada Express Flight 8646.
The detection system uses radar and satellite technology to provide controllers with &#8220;detailed coverage of movement on runways and taxiways&#8221; and is &#8220;equipped with visual and aural alarms that will alert controllers of possible runway incursions or incidents,&#8221; <a href="https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/asde-x">according</a> to the Federal Aviation Administration.
On Sunday night, however, LaGuardia&#8217;s surface detection system failed to notify controllers of the looming disaster on runway 4, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy told reporters. Quoting the analysis from a replay of the detection system, Homendy said the system did not alert controllers because the fire trucks on the ground were in close proximity and were &#8220;merging and unmerging near the runway, resulting in the inability to create a track.&#8221;
Homendy said the truck that collided with the jet did not have a transponder. While surface detection systems can track vehicles without transponders, Homendy said that transponders help the effectiveness of the system.
&#8220;In order for ASDE-X to work well, you have to know where ground vehicles and aircraft are, and in this case, that ground vehicle did not have a transponder,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And it would&#8217;ve been helpful — when you have a radar target, it does not provide you with the information that you need like it would for an aircraft as a controller.&#8221;
The NTSB chairwoman added that when investigators watched a replay of what the detection system showed controllers, it did not show any &#8220;blobs&#8221;— which represented the emergency vehicles — move in front of the plane, indicating that the system failed to accurately track the fire trucks.
The NTSB also revealed on Tuesday that there were two controllers on duty at the time of the deadly crash, which Homendy said was consistent with normal operating procedures for many airports, including LaGuardia, for the midnight shift. The midnight shift at LaGuardia begins at 10:30 p.m. and ends at 6:30 a.m. The Air Canada jet crashed into the fire truck at approximately 11:40 p.m.
The NTSB chairwoman said that officials would look into whether it &#8220;makes sense&#8221; for LaGuardia to operate with just two air traffic controllers on the midnight shift, or if the airport should change its procedures.
Homendy cautioned reporters about &#8220;pointing fingers at controllers,&#8221; arguing that there are many factors officials still must investigate before pinning the blame on air traffic controllers. Audio from the air traffic control tower revealed one of the controllers saying that he &#8220;messed up&#8221; after the collision. Another controller replied, &#8220;No man, you did the best you could.&#8221;
According to the NTSB, 25 seconds before the crash, truck 1 requested air traffic controllers to allow it to cross runway 4 as a group of emergency vehicles were responding to an issue with another jet on the tarmac. Twenty seconds before the end of the radio correspondence, &#8220;the tower cleared truck 1 and company to cross runway 4 at Taxiway Delta.&#8221;
When the truck was cleared to cross, the Air Canada jet was 100 feet from the ground as it approached runway 4. Nine seconds before the radio transmission was cut off, however, the air traffic controllers told truck 1 to stop, just one second before the Air Canada jet&#8217;s landing gear was heard touching down on the runway.

Air Canada Express Plane Collides With Fire Truck At LaGuardia Airport

There’s A System Meant To Prevent The Deadly LaGuardia Plane Crash. Why Didn’t It?

Airplane crash

General

National transportation Safety Board

New York City

U.S.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shut down rumors that a deadly runway crash at New York&#8217;s LaGuardia Airport was caused by a lack of air traffic controllers, telling reporters on Monday that the airport is well-staffed.
Duffy, flanked by Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) along with several others, took several questions about the collision — between an Air Canada flight 8646 and a Port Authority fire truck — that occurred late Sunday night. While he deferred most questions to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is handling the full investigation, Duffy responded immediately when a reporter asked whether a lack of air traffic controllers had been a factor in the crash.
Several reports have included audio from Air Traffic Control that features one air traffic controller calling for the fire truck to stop — and then a short time later saying that he&#8217;d &#8220;messed up.&#8221; Another voice could be heard saying that he&#8217;d done &#8220;the best he could.&#8221;
One reporter asked Duffy at the press conference whether there was any truth to rumors that only one air traffic controller had been working at the time — and whether he thought such an incident might discourage people from choosing to become air traffic controllers, and Duffy said that it shouldn&#8217;t.
&#8220;I told you I am not going to talk about specifics, but for that question, I will say that is inaccurate,&#8221; Duffy said. He went on to note that the Transportation Department is doing everything possible to retain experienced air traffic controllers and train new recruits in order to fill vacancies, but he went on to say, &#8220;As airports go, LaGuardia is a well-staffed airport &#8230; I did want to clarify, I have heard the rumor there was only on controller in the tower and that is not accurate.&#8221;
Duffy laid out several key updates that he wanted Congress to approve funding for, saying that providing for the safety of the American people while they travel should not be a partisan issue. &#8220;There is bipartisan agreement so they should come together and figure out a way to give us the rest of the dollars to complete the job.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said LaGuardia is “well-staffed” but still faces a shortage of air traffic controllers. He said there are currently 33 certified controllers but the goal is to have 37. More than one controller was on duty at the time of the accident, he said.… <a href="https://t.co/RfMr5Z1VwA">pic.twitter.com/RfMr5Z1VwA</a>
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7NY/status/2036178822576382248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Trump Admin Debunks Viral Rumor After Deadly LaGuardia Crash

air traffic controllers

Air Travel

Politics

Sean Duffy

Dramatic footage from LaGuardia Airport in New York captured the instant that Air Canada Express flight AC8646 plowed into a fire truck late Sunday night.
The Bombardier CRJ-900, a relatively small jet that seats 76–90 and is used for commuter travel, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/all-flights-cancelled-at-nycs-laguardia-after-deadly-runway-collision">crashed</a> into a Port Authority fire truck. As The Daily Wire previously reported, two pilots were killed and more than a dozen passengers were injured in the collision.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here’s CCTV footage capturing the exact moment Air Canada Express Flight AC8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900, collided with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport last night. <a href="https://t.co/qxGMZzKXPD">pic.twitter.com/qxGMZzKXPD</a>
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) <a href="https://twitter.com/Turbinetraveler/status/2036118403904098798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The video shows the plane heading down the runway and a line of emergency vehicles with flashing lights approaching at right angles to the plane. The plane crashes into the first vehicle in that line and grinds to a halt.
The plane, according to several reports, was landing at the time of the collision and had already slowed to approximately 30 miles per hour before striking the fire truck.
The firetruck, and the other emergency vehicles behind it, were traveling to handle a separate incident at LaGuardia at the time — and had been cleared to cross the runway. Audio recordings from the Air Traffic Control suggested a mix-up resulted in both the plane and the firetruck arriving at the intersection at the same time.
&#8220;Stop! Stop! Fire #1 Stop!” the controller could be heard saying.
After the collision, one controller could be heard saying that he &#8220;messed up.&#8221;
&#8220;No man, you did the best you could,&#8221; another replied.
Jazz Aviation issued a <a href="https://flyjazz.mediaroom.com/2026-03-23-Jazz-Aviation-LP-operating-as-Air-Canada-Express-confirms-incident">statement</a> regarding the crash: &#8220;Flight 8646 was en route to LaGuardia (LGA) from Montréal (YUL). The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, although this is subject to confirmation. The incident occurred at approximately 11:47 PM on March 22, 2026.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Air Canada plane collides with fire truck at LaGuardia, killing 2, injuring others

New Video Shows Air Canada Jet Erupting On Impact With Fire Truck At LaGuardia

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss what their investigation revealed about the 2025 mid-air collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a United States Army helicopter that killed 67.
The hearing comes nearly a year to the day of the crash that happened January 29, 2025. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told a <a href="https://x.com/petemuntean/status/2016230873557856470?s=20">reporter</a> after Tuesday&#8217;s hearing that the incident that took place in Washington, D.C., was &#8220;100% preventable.&#8221;
Investigators said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ignored warning signs about a dangerous level of air traffic at Reagan National Airport (DCA) before the tragic crash.
“We have an entire tower who took it upon themselves to try to raise concerns over and over and over and over again only to get squashed by management and everybody above them within FAA,” Homendy said at the hearing.
Homendy and other NTSB members said the crash resulted from systemic failures at multiple institutions, including too much reliance on pilots to maintain visual separation between aircraft — the safe distance every plane has to maintain to avoid collisions.
During the hearing, NTSB members showed the most accurate recreation of the crash to date. A series of presentations showed how the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet collided, with the helicopter blade slicing off one of the wings of the jet. Both aircraft immediately fell into the Potomac River.
According to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2026/01/27/final-ntsb-hearing-dca-crash/">The Washington Post</a>, there was a wide array of issues that led to the tragedy. Per the outlet, instruments gave inaccurate readings, there was a lack of identification and collision avoidance technology on both the helicopter and the commercial jet, the airspace was crowded, and basic failures occurred including FAA maps that didn&#8217;t have clear guidance on the exact details of the helicopter&#8217;s route. The plane crew was never warned about the helicopter from air traffic controllers.
Per The Washington Post, the helicopter crew most likely confused the American Airlines aircraft with a plane that was farther away. Investigators also found the helicopter crew thought the aircraft was flying lower than it was. Investigators said Tuesday that the crash could have been prevented if the helicopter crew knew the instruments on the aircraft might have displayed inaccurate information about the altitude.
Homendy, who was visibly frustrated, said the two routes were close together and the FAA should have known the dangers.
“How is it that no one, absolutely no one in the FAA did the work to figure out there was only 75 feet, at best, 75 feet of vertical separation between a helicopter on Route 4 and an airplane landing on runway 33?” she asked at the hearing.
A controller at DCA was managing five helicopters and six aircraft after working alone for more than five hours at the time of the crash. The Washington Post reports nine times in the 18 minutes before the crash, the approaching collision alerts can be heard in the background of tower transmissions. However, investigators said there&#8217;s no evidence that any of the pilots or controllers involved that night were unqualified, impaired, or sleep-deprived &#8212; but they said the FAA did not conduct timely drug and alcohol testing for the controllers in the tower that evening in the aftermath of the accident.
Since this incident, the FAA banned non-essential helicopter traffic near DCA and closed the route the Black Hawk chopper took the night of the crash.
The helicopter had three crew members on board. The commercial jet was carrying 60 passengers, including youth figure skaters and coaches. United States figure skater Maxim Naumov lost his parents in the crash. He will compete in next month&#8217;s Winter Olympics in his parents&#8217; honor.

Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

NTSB Chair Says D.C. Plane Crash That Killed 67 Was ‘100% Preventable’

American Airlines

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Washington D.C.

Longtime NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were among those killed in a plane crash on Thursday morning in Statesville, North Carolina, about 45 miles outside of Charlotte.
Representative Richard Hudson confirmed the news.
&#8220;I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,&#8221; Rep. Hudson said.
Biffle&#8217;s close friend, Garrett Mitchell <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AMbpQWYR7/">said</a> the Biffles were flying to visit him when the plane crashed.
&#8220;Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane &#8230; because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I&#8217;m so sorry to share this,&#8221; Mitchell said.
Biffle&#8217;s daughter was a teenager, and their son had just turned five.
A source with knowledge of the situation told The Daily Wire there were a total of six passengers on board.
According to airport officials, the Cessna C550 airplane crashed while landing at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DkbX45b4h/">Statesville Regional Airport</a> around 10:15 a.m. <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2001696669822284016?s=20">Video</a> from witnesses showed the aircraft engulfed in flames near the runway. The crash caused a multi-agency response.
Flight tracking records showed a Cessna C550, registered to GB Aviation Leasing LLC, that took off from Statesville Regional Airport at 10:06 a.m. before turning around shortly after takeoff to head back to the airport. GB Aviation Leasing LLC is a private company linked to Biffle.
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Biffle was a longtime NASCAR driver, becoming one of only three drivers to win the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. He was a nominee for the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Biffle was known for more than just his skills on the track. He was a humanitarian who helped out greatly when North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Biffle used his personal helicopter to take generators, chainsaws, water, and essential supplies needed to those in the impossible-to-reach regions devastated by the storm. He even helped raise more than $60,000 from t-shirt sales for western North Carolina relief efforts.
&#8220;They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others,&#8221; Rep. Hudson said. &#8220;He was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.
Biffle said he loved anything with gas and wheels — it was evident in his love for aviation.
The private pilot flew out of the Statesville airport often. According to the city of Statesville’s website, the airport is city-owned and provides corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.
Airport officials said in a press conference Thursday that the airport is shut down while debris is cleaned up. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. At this time, there is no official cause of the crash.

Credit: Jared Tilton/SRX/Getty Images

NASCAR Driver, Family Dead After Plane Crashes Near Charlotte

NASCAR

North Carolina

Federal investigators on Thursday released additional images showing the moments leading up to the UPS plane crash in Louisville earlier this month that killed 14 people.
The National Transportation Safety Board released the images in its preliminary <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf">report</a> on the crash, saying that investigators found &#8220;evidence of fatigue cracks in addition to areas of overstress failure&#8221; on parts near the engine on the left wing. The photos show the McDonnell Douglas MD-11’s left engine erupting in flames and breaking away from the wing as the UPS aircraft begins its takeoff.
<div id="attachment_1003535" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1003535" class="wp-image-1003535 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T130820.318-710x576.jpg" alt="" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T130820.318-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T130820.318-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T130820.318-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T130820.318.jpg 986w" sizes=" (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />National Transportation Safety Board</div>
Federal investigators said that the plane never made it higher than 30 feet above the ground before it dropped back down in a fiery crash. The MD-11&#8217;s &#8220;left main landing gear impacted the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the southern edge of the airport.&#8221; The plane then &#8220;impacted a storage yard and two additional buildings, including a petroleum recycling facility, and was mostly consumed by fire.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1003541" style="width: 594px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1003541" class="wp-image-1003541 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T131456.952-584x576.jpg" alt="" width="584" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T131456.952-584x576.jpg 584w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T131456.952-300x296.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T131456.952-768x758.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-20T131456.952.jpg 811w" sizes=" (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px" />National Transportation Safety Board</div>
Eleven of the 14 people killed in the crash were customers or employees at the Grade A Auto Parts and Scrap Metal Recycling, which sits just south of the runways at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. The three others <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unimaginable-tragedy-authorities-identify-the-14-people-killed-in-louisville-ups-plane-crash">killed</a> in the crash were crew members on board the MD-11. Twenty-three more people on the ground were injured.
The plane was filled with more than 50,000 gallons of fuel as it departed for a long trip to Hawaii. The crash caused secondary explosions at the auto parts and recycling center.
The MD-11 plane was 34 years old and had accumulated nearly 93,000 flight hours. The last time the left pylon aft mount — the part at the center of the investigation — was visually inspected was October 28, 2021. The UPS maintenance program calls for visual inspections of the part every 72 months, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The pylon thrust links and pylon spherical bearings were lubricated just two weeks before the deadly crash, according to the preliminary report.
The MD-11 is one of the oldest planes still in use by shipping companies, such as UPS and FedEx. Both UPS and FedEx announced that they would ground their remaining MD-11s shortly after the crash in Louisville.
A more comprehensive analysis will follow Thursday’s 12-page preliminary report once the National Transportation Safety Board completes its investigation.
&#8220;We continue to grieve for the lives lost in the tragic accident involving Flight 2976,&#8221; UPS <a href="https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/statements/ups-statement-on-aircraft-accident.html">said</a> on Thursday. &#8220;Before the FAA issued its Emergency Airworthiness Directive for all MD-11 operators, UPS proactively grounded its MD-11 fleet out of an abundance of caution. We appreciate the National Transportation Safety Board’s prompt release of preliminary findings and will fully support the investigation through its conclusion.&#8221;

Investigators Release More Photos Of UPS Plane Crash, Find ‘Evidence Of Fatigue Cracks’

Air and Space

Kentucky

Those who were killed after a UPS plane <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/massive-explosion-outside-louisville-airport-after-ups-plane-crash">went down</a> in flames in Louisville earlier this month were identified by authorities on Wednesday as the investigation into the crash continues.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, alongside the city&#8217;s coroner, identified each of the 14 victims during a press conference. Greenberg said that Louisville &#8220;feels the full weight of this unimaginable tragedy.&#8221; Eleven of the people who were killed in the crash were on the ground and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the UPS MD-11 plane went down after takeoff on November 4.
Among those killed was 47-year-old Louisnes Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa, WLWT <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/victims-identified-ups-plane-crash-louisville-kentucky/69412636">reported</a>. The other victims were identified as Capt. Dana Diamond, 62, Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57, First Officer Lee Truitt, 45, Angela Anderson, 45, Carlos Fernandez, 52, Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37, Tony Crain, 65, John Loucks, 52, John Spray, 45, Matthew Sweets, 37, Ella Petty Whorton, 31, Megan Washburn, 35.
“Each of these victims represents a life full of purpose, interrupted far too soon. And also, a life that will never fade because we’ll always remember them,&#8221; the mayor added.
Diamond, Wartenberg, and Truitt made up the flight crew of the MD-11, while everyone else who was killed in the crash was either a customer or employee of Grade A Auto Parts and Scrap Metal Recycling, according to the business&#8217;s owner, Sean Garber, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ups-plane-crash-victims-named-rcna243516">reported</a>. The business is just south of the runways at Louisville&#8217;s Muhammad Ali International Airport, where the UPS plane took off en route to Hawaii.
Video footage taken just before the crash showed the aircraft&#8217;s left wing burst into flames. The plane, which had around 50,000 gallons of fuel for the long trip to Hawaii, then exploded into a massive fireball when it crashed. National Transportation Safety Board Member Todd Inman said last week that the footage &#8220;shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll.&#8221;
Authorities still have not said what caused the crash, but UPS and FedEx <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ups-and-fedex-ground-md-11-fleets-after-deadly-louisville-crash">said</a> last week that they were grounding their fleets of MD-11 cargo planes “out of an abundance of caution.” NTSB anticipates issuing a preliminary investigation report into the crash by early December.
Crews in Louisville continue to work on the site of the crash and have stopped oil from the crash from seeping into the city&#8217;s groundwater.

‘Unimaginable Tragedy’: Authorities Identify The 14 People Killed In Louisville UPS Plane Crash

Death

UPS and FedEx said on Friday they have grounded their combined fleet of more than 50 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes following a crash in Louisville, Kentucky this week that killed at least 14 people.
A UPS MD-11 crashed late on Tuesday, erupting into a fireball moments after takeoff from Louisville&#8217;s international airport. The death toll from the crash, the cause of which is still under investigation, has risen to 14, according to a post on X by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg on Friday.
UPS and FedEx, the world&#8217;s largest cargo carriers, said in separate statements that they grounded the aircraft &#8220;out of an abundance of caution.&#8221;
FedEx said it operates 28 MD-11s and, according to a UPS factsheet, UPS had 27 in its fleet prior to the crash.
&#8220;We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer,&#8221; UPS said in its statement.
Boeing, which acquired the MD-11 program through its 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, said in an emailed statement it recommended that UPS and FedEx suspend flight operations of the MD-11 freighter.
&#8220;This recommendation was made in an abundance of caution and we will continue coordinating with the FAA on this matter,&#8221; a Boeing spokesperson said.
Production of the MD-11 planes ended in 2000, and passenger service officially ended in 2014.
FedEx, which has a total fleet of 700 aircraft, said it was &#8220;immediately implementing contingency plans&#8221; to avoid disruptions. UPS said that its MD-11s account for only 9% of its fleet.
Still, any potential disruptions could have far-reaching consequences as FedEx and UPS are the workhorses for transferring goods around the world for major retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, and Target, as well as for manufacturers and businesses.
UPS is the No. 1 air cargo service provider for the U.S. Postal Service, transporting Priority and other speedy mail products.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is leading the probe into the crash of the 34-year-old MD-11 freighter at the Louisville airport. The plane reached about 100 feet (30.5 meters) above ground level before plunging in flames off the runway and destroying two nearby businesses.
One of the plane&#8217;s three engines detached from the left wing as it rolled down the Louisville airport runway.
On Friday, U.S. safety investigators said that as a warning bell sounded in the cockpit, three UPS pilots had tried to wrestle control of the plane just before it crashed.
While UPS flight 2976 began uneventfully, a repeating bell was heard on the aircraft&#8217;s cockpit voice recorder just 37 seconds after the crew called for takeoff thrust, NTSB member Todd Inman told reporters.
NTSB anticipates issuing a preliminary investigation report into the crash in about 30 days.
The last UPS cargo plane to crash was in August 2013, when an Airbus aircraft went down on a landing approach to the international airport in Birmingham, Alabama, killing both crew members.
(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal and Dheeraj Kumar in Bengaluru and Joe Brock in Los Angeles; Editing by William Mallard, Thomas Derpinghaus and Himani Sarkar)

UPS Plane

UPS And FedEx Ground MD-11 Fleets After Deadly Louisville Crash

FedEx

At least 11 people are dead and others remain seriously injured or are missing after a UPS plane crashed near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday evening.
The plane that went down was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, CBS Louisville affiliate WLKY <a href="https://www.wlky.com/article/plane-crash-explosion-louisville-airport/69255042">reported</a>. Companies like UPS and FedEx primarily fly those aircraft to transport cargo. UPS issued a <a href="https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/statements/ups-statement-on-aircraft-accident.html">statement</a> confirming that the crash occurred at approximately 5:20 p.m., adding that three crew members were onboard. They are believed to be dead.
Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/ups-plane-crash-louisville-airport?post-id=cmhl8u9nx00003b6n3dcwwb8e">said</a> on Wednesday that the death toll is “expected to reach 12” by the end of the day.
Multiple businesses were hit by the plane when it crashed to the ground, including a recycling plant and an auto parts shop, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/ups-plane-crash-louisville-airport">reported</a>. The crash resulted in a &#8220;secondary explosion&#8221; at the recycling plant, which contained tanks of propane and oil.
Videos posted on social media showed a massive explosion after the crash, with plumes of smoke rising into the air. Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for people within a five-mile radius of the airport after the crash. That shelter-in-place order remains in effect for those within a one-mile radius of the airport, forcing some schools in the area to cancel classes on Wednesday.
Since the plane was on a long trip to Hawaii, it was fully fueled. The fire following the crash quickly spread to nearby buildings.
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CCTV captures UPS flight UPS2976 crashing shortly after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. <a href="https://t.co/9WyrcpSkdd">pic.twitter.com/9WyrcpSkdd</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1985848791585477006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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JUST IN: Crews are responding to a plane crash near the Louisville airport, and police say there are injuries.<a href="https://t.co/NIg5UOSVoo">https://t.co/NIg5UOSVoo</a> <a href="https://t.co/i2BLFYKEFx">pic.twitter.com/i2BLFYKEFx</a>
— WLKY (@WLKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/WLKY/status/1985838038866411644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a press conference on Wednesday that the crash appears to have been caused by mechanical failure and had nothing to do with the air traffic controller shortages from the government shutdown.
The UPS plane was departing for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Other videos circulating on social media appear to show the left wing of the MD-11 catching fire as it cruises down the runway before takeoff. One of the plane&#8217;s engines was found on the ground mostly intact, which will likely help investigators determine what led to the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday said that it &#8220;viewed airport CCTV security coverage, which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll.&#8221;
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Video circulating now online shows the moments the UPS MD-11 crashed near the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Louisville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Louisville</a> airport.
It looks like there may have been an engine fire but the plane was likely past the point of no return and could not abort the take off in time.<a href="https://twitter.com/KHOU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KHOU</a> <a href="https://t.co/7yz1Wf3X7E">pic.twitter.com/7yz1Wf3X7E</a>
— Pat Cavlin (@pcavlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/pcavlin/status/1985845250842132668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Heartbreaking images coming out of Kentucky tonight,&#8221; said Duffy in a post on Tuesday. &#8220;Please join me in prayer for the Louisville community and flight crew impacted by this horrific crash. The @NTSB and @FAANews are mobilizing to get on the ground and will lead the investigation.&#8221;
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Heartbreaking images coming out of Kentucky tonight.
Here’s an update from <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FAANews</a> 
&#8211; UPS cargo flight 2976 
&#8211; Crashed around 5:15 ET after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport en route to Honolulu 
&#8211; The aircraft was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11.
Please… <a href="https://t.co/yE1Brhv8cQ">pic.twitter.com/yE1Brhv8cQ</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1985855125080965375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport serves as UPS&#8217;s worldwide air hub, with around <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2024/07/16/inside-worldport-ups-overnight-shipping-hub-air-freight-logistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">300 UPS flights</a> taking off and landing there every day.
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

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