A devastating plane crash has unfolded near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, claiming the lives of at least three individuals and leaving eleven others injured. The UPS plane, carrying three crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff, creating a massive fireball that engulfed the runway and nearby areas.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 4th, at around 5:15 p.m. local time. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, was en route to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. However, it never made it far, as it plummeted to the ground shortly after departing from Louisville.
The aftermath of the crash was chaotic and dangerous. A shelter-in-place order was issued for all locations within a 5-mile radius of the airport, later extended to areas north of the airport up to the Ohio River. The large fire continued to burn, with thick plumes of smoke visible for miles. Local businesses and buildings were affected by the plane's flames, and the scene was described as an active fire and debris zone by authorities.
Governor Andy Beshear described the situation as "serious," with locals reporting a "black sky" as a result of the smoke. First responders rushed to the scene, and the governor urged people to pray for the pilots, crew, and all those affected. He added, "The situation is serious. Please pray for the families involved. I'm heading to Louisville now."
Videos and eyewitness accounts from the scene paint a grim picture. One Louisville resident took to social media to share their thoughts, saying, "We can see smoke throughout the city. It looks horrible. This is a very sad situation." Another resident described the sky as "black" due to the crash.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the number of injured individuals is still being determined. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct an investigation to determine the factors leading to this tragic event.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the model involved in the crash, is an American wide-body trijet airliner. This particular plane was manufactured and delivered to Thai Airways International in 1991 and later acquired by UPS for cargo operations in 2006. Despite no longer carrying passengers, these planes are still commonly used by cargo operators such as FedEx, UPS, and Western Global Airlines.
This tragic incident comes at a time when air traffic controller shortages are prevalent due to the ongoing government shutdown, causing delays for many flights. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and the FAA will likely lead the inquiry.
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