Live Update
In the wake of the deadly air disaster in Louisville, Kentucky, major cargo carriers have grounded the type of aircraft involved as federal investigators search for answers.
The aircraft, a **McDonnell Douglas MD-11F** operated by **UPS Airlines**, crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on **November 4**, killing at least **11 people**, including all three crew members and several people on the ground. Dozens more were injured in the fiery crash that devastated an industrial area near the airport.
Following the tragedy, **UPS announced the temporary grounding of its entire MD-11 fleet**, citing “an abundance of caution” and recommendations from safety regulators. Soon after, **FedEx and other cargo operators** using the same aircraft model followed suit, also suspending flights for inspection and maintenance checks.
> “Safety is our top priority. We are working closely with the FAA and NTSB as they investigate this tragic event,” UPS said in a statement.
According to early reports from the **National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)**, the jet suffered a catastrophic engine failure moments after takeoff. Witnesses described seeing one of the plane’s engines break away as flames engulfed the left wing before the aircraft plummeted to the ground.
The MD-11, introduced in the 1990s, has been widely used in cargo operations despite being phased out of most passenger service years ago. Aviation experts have long noted that the plane’s complex handling characteristics and aging airframes make strict maintenance oversight crucial.
The NTSB is now analyzing flight data and cockpit recordings while examining maintenance logs from the jet’s most recent service in Texas earlier this year. Investigators are focusing on whether mechanical fatigue, manufacturing flaws, or maintenance lapses may have caused the failure.
The grounding of MD-11s across multiple cargo firms has caused **temporary disruptions in global shipping networks**, particularly at UPS’s massive “Worldport” hub in Louisville, the company’s main sorting facility.
Local officials and emergency teams continue cleanup and recovery efforts at the crash site, while tributes and vigils have been held for the victims.
As investigations continue, both the aviation industry and the Louisville community are calling for stronger oversight and renewed attention to the safety of older aircraft still in service.
> “This is a heartbreaking reminder that safety in the skies must never be taken for granted,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
The NTSB’s preliminary report is expected within weeks, but a full investigation could take up to a year to complete.