UPS Airlines Flight 2976
Aerial view of the crash site | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | November 4, 2025 |
| Summary | Crashed shortly after takeoff following left engine detachment due to pylon failure, under investigation |
| Site |
|
| Total fatalities | 15 |
| Total injuries | 22 |
| Aircraft | |
| N259UP, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in April 2025 | |
| Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas MD-11F |
| Operator | UPS Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | 5X2976 |
| ICAO flight No. | UPS2976 |
| Call sign | UPS 2976 |
| Registration | N259UP |
| Flight origin | Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Destination | Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Occupants | 3 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 12 |
| Ground injuries | 22 |
UPS Airlines Flight 2976 was a scheduled domestic cargo flight in the United States from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, to Honolulu, Hawaii. On November 4, 2025, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 operating the flight suffered a separation of its left engine during its takeoff roll and crashed into an industrial area seconds after liftoff from the runway, at about 5:13 p.m. local time (22:13 UTC). The crash killed all three crew members on board the aircraft and an additional twelve people on the ground, one of whom succumbed to their injuries on December 25.
The accident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. Following the accident, UPS retired its remaining MD-11 fleet in January 2026.